I have just returned from one of the most remarkable four weeks of my career as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. I was working as a volunteer in Gimbie Adventist Hospital for the charity Maternity Worldwide. This charity covers the cost of maternity care in Gimbie and provides the training for as many of the key maternity staff as the funds will allow. The charity aims to reduce the numbers of women who die in childbirth and trhat was exactly what I was doing for my month.
Before the charity was involved the hospital based death rate for the mothers was 1 in 17 . Now it is down to 1 in 90. In Ethiopia the life time risk for mothers is about 1 in 10 , compared with 1 in 8000 in UK.
I am pleased to say that no women died directly from a pregnancy related condition while I was there, although we did lose one mother from Malaria. Sadly , 10% of the babies I delivered were already dead , or died shortly after birth. The first mother I delivered at Gimbie had her first live baby after 3 stilbirths!
I am keen to go again , but this time with a team of 4 other clinicians to really push forward the training of the local care providers , for both the mothers and the babies. This would cost , including transport and all expenses £15000.
I am also trying to raise enough money to sponsor a midwife to be properly trained .This would cost , including course fees and living expenses £1000 per annum. Believe it or not there is only one trained midwife at Gimbie. One more could save hundreds of women and babies.
Please think about making a donation. It'll make you feel better and will probably save a life and prevent yet more children , just like those you see pictured above , from becoming orphans .
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