I’ve had a very busy few months travelling out to really remote health centres in the Magway region of Myanmar.
Away from help when it’s most critical
Sadly, maternal deaths here are a scary 16 times higher than in the UK, with the vast majority of these deaths happening during home births.
From travelling to these remote villages, it’s very easy to see why, as mothers are hours and hours away from any hospital. In an emergency, the time it takes to get specialist care can be the difference between life and death. The main mode of transport in these villages is horse-carts, or occasionally motorbikes, on very small bumpy lanes that become impassable when there are monsoon rains.
It was hard enough travelling there myself, let alone imagining travelling in labour!
Tha Mone Pin Rural Health clinic with plenty of mums-to-be waiting
Heartbreak away from help
When I arrived at Tha Mone Pin Rural Health Centre, I spoke to the midwives about the issue of being far away from emergency help. Pretty much all of them had a heartbreaking story, but here’s one that really stuck with me:
“I went on a check-up visit to a heavily pregnant woman’s home in a very remote village, hours away from any hospital.
When I examined her, my heart stopped. She had an abnormality and needed emergency care. Without it, the baby would die.
The length of the journey to the hospital was too long, and there was only a slim chance her baby would make it, as well as endangering the woman’s life. After discussion, the woman decided to remain in her home and not go to hospital. We managed to deliver the baby to keep the mother safe, but the baby was a stillborn."
Ensuring health centres spot the warning signs
It is so awful to think of the heartbreaking situation that mum was in, so I am determined to help the midwives in these rural areas to spot warning signs early, so that mums can be helped before the situation becomes an emergency.
Luckily the three remote villages I travelled to hold regular antenatal drop in sessions which are free of charge. Each one I went to was busy with pregnant ladies, which was great to see, as culturally pregnancy in Myanmar is seen as a very private matter.
With each village I spent the day observing the midwives’ practices, and admired the brilliant level of care and attention they gave each patient. In particular I explained to the midwives that it is good practice to take blood samples from every pregnant woman, as this is a very good way of spotting essential warning signs. I then showed the midwives how to take blood in the least painful way.
Examining a pregnant lady to spot any warning signs before they turn into an emergency.
The midwives really took this on board, and by the end of my visit were taking blood samples from everyone. Great progress, as the sooner the warning signs are spotted, the more chance there is of babies being delivered safely.
Thank you
I’ve really enjoyed travelling to these rural areas and being warmly welcomed into the communities. Although there are big challenges as a pregnant woman living in these villages, it was fantastic to see these free clinics being set up and used regularly.
My next few months will be spent on visiting other remote villages to observe local health clinics and help share my knowledge as a midwife. Ultimately it’s thanks to your amazing support that I am able to improve care and keep more mums and their babies in Myanmar safe and well, so I look forward to updating you on my progress soon!
Love,
Sam
