The program began with visits to the remote mobile camps of the traditional birth attendant trainees (matrones) in order to introduce the new medical team to the population and for the team to observe the conditions under which our matrones work.
Pat Manzon, Tinzere, Dr. Becky, Leslie Clark in the tent of Tinzere at Tchinwezizil showing her record of births and complications. Although Tinzere herself can neither read nor write, she recognizes the importance of record-keeping and was assisted by others in her community
Our next stop was Tourgite where we talked to Rahamata and Malou and proudly showed us the healthy twins they had just delivered.
Twins delivered by Rahamata.
Fatima is our hardest working matrone. She has delivered 187 babies since beginning in 2012. She is a leader capable of training others. It was for her community that we started the program after five young women died in childbirth in one year leaving 4 orphans. Since her training with Dr. Skankey, Fatima has not had one maternal or infant mortality.
Leslie, Moussa ( our interpreter, is the nephew of Fatima, brother to two of the women who died prior to our program.), Dr. Becky, Fatima, Pat.
After our mobile mission, we brought 12 matrones (4 could not attend) into the Tamesna center for a review and exchange of experiences and ideas.
The training covered prenatal care, labor, normal delivery and complications. The matrones proved they had retained knowledge from their previous training.
Recognition and management of complications was reinforced through simulations. Dr. Becky and Pat created challenging situations for the matrones to diagnose and manage such as surprise twins, breech presentation, fever in labor, and post-partum hemorrhage. The matrones then jumped in and created their own scenarios based on their experiences.
Packaging meds and vitamins to include in the matrones bags.
Each matron received a satchel filled with essential supplies. All included iron, misoprostil, amoxicillin, albendazole, gloves, delivery pad, sterile blades and cords, solar lights and report forms. Those who qualified included blood pressure cuffs.
After each matrone demonstrated her understanding of the training, particularly the use of the medicine, Dr. Becky gave them certificates of successful participation in the training.
A big thank you to Dr. Becky and Pat Manzon who volunteered their time and money to work like slaves, which they did wholeheartedly.
Forever thanks to Dr. Bob, the father of this program who continues to oversee it.
And special thanks to Ventura Global health for their grant which made it possible for Dr. Becky to participate in this program.
Leave a Reply