Midwifery elective placement for two weeks working in the maternity hospital (Tanzania, Dar es Salaam).

Hello, my name is Lisa. I am currently a 2nd year midwifery student carrying out my training at the University of Bradford. As part of our degree we undertake an elective placement in order to gain new insights from a different perspective and to enhance our learning journey. My experiences so far during my training have made me interested in learning more about healthcare inequalities experienced by women in less developed countries and the impact of this on maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

For my elective placement i have chosen to go to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from the 3rd- 17th August 2019. Each year in Tanzania, 11,000 women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth and 66,000 babies do not survive their first month of life. In contrast to the UK, only 51% of births are attended by skilled workers as there is a lack of midwifery resources, medication and equipment – things taken for granted in the UK with having the NHS. Many women have no antenatal or postnatal care and this impacts on maternal and infant outcomes. Subsequently, for every 100,000 women who give birth in Tanzania, almost 800 die – making it one of the most dangerous places in the world to have a baby.

This placement will enable me to demonstrate and share the midwifery skills I have learnt during my two years of training. I will be fortunate to learn about different cultures, perspectives and build relationships with women and their families as well as midwives in a diverse environment, an environment where women have some of the highest rates of HIV and FGM in the world.

The elective placement needs to be self-funded and as a student receiving no bursary (No thanks to the government) my student loan only just covers a portion of living costs including travel to and from placement areas as well as the care I provide for my own two young children. The expense of the elective placement will therefore have consequences for my already limited financial situation. Despite this, I am still passionate about Tanzania and everything it has to offer me. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated.

I am extremely grateful for your support