By Natasha Ridout | HHA Volunteer Village Co-ordinator
There was a period in November when it rained constantly for three days, resulting in flooding in central Cap Haitien. One night during this time, out in the rural area near the hospital, one of the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) in the training programme funded by HHA was with a pregnant woman who was displaying signs of a problematic birth, bleeding excessively. Knowing that there could be a danger to both mother and baby if she were to give birth at home, the TBA notified the community health agent for the area, Marcus.
Marcus, having learnt how to deal with such scenarios as part of his training, knew to call the ambulance to transport the patient to hospital but because of the turbulent weather he was unable to get through. Time was getting on, and transporting the patient on a motorbike would have been too risky, so Marcus and the TBA assisted the patient to get to the hospital on foot in the dark and pouring rain. They arrived, drenched, at three o’clock in the morning. The hospital staff in the maternity ward were able to give the lady the care she needed and she gave birth safely to a healthy boy two hours later.
Marcus is very proud of this case as it shows how communication and an established community network can lead to safe deliveries. He explains “we saved two lives that day. We need to care for pregnant women because they are not just one person, but two.” This is such an exciting story as it shows how our community health programme, making use of community health agents and traditional birth attendants, is effectively helping Haitians to give birth safely, and we look forward to hearing many more stories like this one.
On behave of all of our team, and the patients we are privileged to serve, thank you for making 2014 a wonderful year. We hope you will feel encouraged by the difference you have made. May we close by wishing you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
With much love and thanks
All the HHA team
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