East Africa: Midwives Use Polythene bags During Delivery, As Mobile Clinics Are Launched
By Staff Writer
Ugandan health facilities in Lokopo Sub-county, Napak District, serving more than 26,000 patients from Katakwi, Amuria, Abim, Kotido, Moroto and Napak districts, are facing shortage of drugs and equipment.
Ms Christian Teko, a midwife at Apeitolim Health Centre II, says the drugs supplied by the National Medical Stores are not enough for the huge number of patients the facility provides service to forcing patients to buy drugs from private clinics.
The health centre on some occasion has run out of elastic gloves, prompting health workers to resort to using white polythene bags.
According to Ms. Teko, 20 women deliver at the health centre every week.
The centre has only one ward, which is shared by children, women and men. There is shortage of beds and mattresses in the congested ward.
“Sometimes we get curtains and divide and form two wards; one for male and the other female because we have no wards,” she says.
Ms. Sarah Ngorok, a woman attending to her sick children at the facility, says when an expectant mother reaches time to deliver, other patients are sent out of the ward to create space.
“It is true that the health centre lacks many things, especially drugs, but we have called for a meeting with the team from the National Medical Stores to see how they can revise the distribution of medicine to the health facilities in Napak.” Dr James Lemukol, Napak’s District Health Officer says.
Meanwhile, Taita/Taveta County in Kenya on Wednesday July 30 received the first fully kitted “Beyond Zero” mobile clinic from the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
“When I learnt that over 5,500 Kenyan mothers die every year while giving life to the next generation and that over 100,000 children die annually from preventable diseases, I decided to do something about it,” she said.
Addressing the ceremony in Wundanyi town, Mrs. Kenyatta urged on Kenyans to stop concealing HIV infected children but facilitate their treatment to enable them lead normal lives.
“With early treatment, infected children can lead normal lives like others and I regret that only two in every five HIV infected children are on life saving medicines,” she said.
She also said saving lives is a collective responsibility and told both the National and County Governments to ensure Kenyans access quality health services.
“This mobile clinic should be used to deliver essential health services such as vaccination, ante natal care, treatment of sick children and parents, HIV testing and treatment. It will also be used to strengthen emergency services,” said Mrs. Kenyatta.
The First Lady noted that while more than 90% expectant mothers in Taita Taveta County attend antenatal clinics, only half of them deliver in a health facility.
“Delivering at home puts the life of mothers and newborn children at risk,” she said.
She lauded Ministry of Health for the successful implementation of free maternity services program countrywide, saying it is the responsibility of all Kenyans to ensure that mothers deliver in an environment that promotes their dignity and safety.