I have to describe the frustrations we have with the lack of supplies. Basic necessities like IV cannulas, administration sets, normal saline, oxytocin, antibiotics, and urinary catheters are SOMETIMES available. Each day is different as to what supplies are available. On Thursday, we were using the IV cannulas we brought, but there were no administration sets, or antibiotics, or foley catheters. We try to save the foleys we brought for those women heading to theatre, otherwise you improvise, eg pediatric feeding tubes are used as catheters - does that ever take a long time to empty a bladder! When you have a sick woman, or when you might want to do something quickly, often you can't because there are no supplies. So then we have to find the woman's attendants plus someone who can speak Lugandan, to tell them that they must go to the pharmacy to purchase the drugs or supplies that are needed. Often people don't have the money, so then they are calling on friends and relatives. Often women don't get the antibiotics they need. Somedays we have hibitane in a bucket for cleansing - other days we don't. So on the days we don't, we are cleansing with plain water. We are running out of the oxytocin we brought with us.
Lydia and I have had long discussions about fundraising. We have had a number of email enquiries from friends and family about how to contribute the work we are doing. For those of you who are able and feel inclined to donate to this cause here is a list of needs:
- 12 mattresses to be replaced/recovered - $30 each
- 4 hospitals in need of an infant bag and mask ~ $200 each
- oxytocin, catheters, IV cannulas, administration sets are all available to be purchased locally.
If you are interested in making a donation please contact Lydia or Jan through the blog or email.
Thanks for all the support you are giving us. Hearing from people back home makes our day. - Jan & Lydia
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UBC Students for Global Citizenship
The Midwifery Education Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has created a global midwifery placement option for students. This year, two midwifery faculty members and a family physician will accompany the students for part of their practicum and then local midwives, nurses and physicians will continue supervision.
For the past 4 years, UBC Midwifery students have participated in this 6 - 8 week global placement at the end of the 3rd year of their midwifery education. This year Midwifery is pleased to have colleagues from Medicine and Nursing join us.
In these placements students attend births and experience the ways that health care workers deal with normal and difficult births in a low-resource setting. These skills are especially relevant to student accouchers as they prepare to respond to the critical shortage of skilled maternity providers in rural and remote areas of British Columbia. In exchange, students and faculty share ways of practice taught at UBC with the global midwifery community.
Students return energized by their global experience and have a deeper understanding about women’s health issues, women’s rights and birthing practices, and with new friendships across borders.
Uganda. Maternal mortality is high in rural Uganda. Over 510 per 100,000 women die in childbirth. There are few trained attendants to assist women in childbirth, and transportation problems as well as social customs prevent many women from attending health centres and hospitals for deliveries. Those who attend hospitals for delivery often have risk factors and complications rarely seen in Canadian maternity practice.
Students and faculty take donations of gloves, delivery instruments, medication to prevent and treat hemorrhage, and academic articles and books on continuing education topics. Midwifery faculty work in collaboration with local staff to present continuing education topics on maternity subjects requested by the local nurse-midwife managers and medical directors. This year we raised funds to buy supplies for maternity wards and to bring a Ugandan Midwife to B.C. for an educational visit this past April.
For the past 4 years, UBC Midwifery students have participated in this 6 - 8 week global placement at the end of the 3rd year of their midwifery education. This year Midwifery is pleased to have colleagues from Medicine and Nursing join us.
In these placements students attend births and experience the ways that health care workers deal with normal and difficult births in a low-resource setting. These skills are especially relevant to student accouchers as they prepare to respond to the critical shortage of skilled maternity providers in rural and remote areas of British Columbia. In exchange, students and faculty share ways of practice taught at UBC with the global midwifery community.
Students return energized by their global experience and have a deeper understanding about women’s health issues, women’s rights and birthing practices, and with new friendships across borders.
Uganda. Maternal mortality is high in rural Uganda. Over 510 per 100,000 women die in childbirth. There are few trained attendants to assist women in childbirth, and transportation problems as well as social customs prevent many women from attending health centres and hospitals for deliveries. Those who attend hospitals for delivery often have risk factors and complications rarely seen in Canadian maternity practice.
Students and faculty take donations of gloves, delivery instruments, medication to prevent and treat hemorrhage, and academic articles and books on continuing education topics. Midwifery faculty work in collaboration with local staff to present continuing education topics on maternity subjects requested by the local nurse-midwife managers and medical directors. This year we raised funds to buy supplies for maternity wards and to bring a Ugandan Midwife to B.C. for an educational visit this past April.
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2 comments:
I'd love to donate money for a mattress. How can I get the money to you guys? Keep up the good work and keep the stories coming!
Jan, now that I found your blog, it will be the first and last thing I read! Thank you for taking the time in your hectic days to put to words your feelings and experiences, not an easy task I am sure. Thinking about you and your days ahead...
xo Tanya
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