Stories from mothers and their children

To celebrate International Women's day and on the lead up to Mothers' Day, we thought it would be nice to look back on the stories of women and children who have benifted from the changes we have made alongside the health workers we support. Through this we can see some of the barriers to health care faced by women, children and babies. Many of these barriers can be overcome, and with your support we hope to do this for even more families.

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Aramata: a Traditional Birth Attendant

Aramata is a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) in Pirang village in The Gambia The village has a population of 3-4,000. Aramata has been a TBA for 25 years. She has around 11 deliveries a month. The community calls her at any time during the day. She delivered a baby 2 days ago. She said “the training I received has been very helpful and successful. It has helped me to deliver babies safely and save their lives”. The village has 5 TBA’s. If Aramata recognizes a complication in pregnancy, e.g. Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) or retained placenta, she will refer the mother to Brikama Health Centre. “The training, and also my experience, has helped me to recognize complications or problems and so I can act quickly”.

Lilian and Blaise: treatment is normally too expensive

Blaise and mother Lilian live in Bamenda, North West Cameroon. Blaise had a tumour above his right eye, a symptom of the childhood cancer Burkitt's lymphoma. He is now free of the tumour after receiving the full six doses of chemotherpay treatment. Lilian, Blaise’s mother, was so pleased that there was a project offering free treatment. Lilian now attends the new support group and hopes to let more parents in the commmunity know what to do if their child develops a growth or becomes ill.

Sira and baby Modou: care in the village

Sira is 21 years old. In this photo her baby Modou is 4 weeks old and her first child. Thye live in The Gambia in Pirang village. The Community Health Nurse, Malta, called the Flying Squad (emergency ambulance st up by MCAI/ALSG) out to Sira. Jaka, the midwife, and Jude Holden, the MCAI midwife working at Brikama Major Health Centre, went to Pirang village, which is 15 km away. Sira was 35 weeks pregnant and she had had an eclamptic fit at home, which life is threatening. The raised blood pressure can lead to a stroke or death. The home is in an isolated village and there was no electricity that night and the team had to reach it by torch light. Sira was conscious, and the team stabilized her, putting in a drip to insert dextrose, and was transported to Brikama Health Centre, on arrival, she was stabilized with drugs to stop Sira fitting and to bring her blood pressure down. She said “I felt very upset when I was at the health centre and heard I had kidney problems. The team was very good to me and helped me a lot. It is because of them that I am now getting better. Thank you for helping me". Sira is studying hard as she wants to be a journalist.

Carlos and mum: treatment for Burkitt's lymphoma

Carlos is three. He came to Bamenda Regional Hospital with a lump on his forehead. He had ultrasound scans and chemotherapy. Thankfully the lump is receding. In this photo Carlos is receiving his last dose of chemotherapy.

Carlos’ mother was very pleased that MCAI had paid for his treatment. Without our project it is doubtfull that she would have been able to afford the medication needed. 

Mariama: cared for after a long trip to hospital

In this photo Mariama is in the ante-natal ward at Basse Major Health Centre, The Gambia. She is 9 months pregnant and was admitted to the health centre with high blood pressure. Mariama was immediately cared for by a nurse who had attended the EMNH course, which is part of the SEC programme, in Basse in March 09, and was put on a saline drip, essential drugs were given and blood taken. Mariama lives in Dindire village, approx 30 kms from the health centre. She had been washing her clothes and felt unwell. She first sought medical care in her village, but she was immediately referred to Basse Major Health Centre. There is no ambulance in her village and so she had to find her own transport. She arrived by car and paid 30 Dalasi (approx 75p), but first had to raise the money by selling some vegetables. The attending nurse was grateful for the recent training she had received.