Locals say Oberabic Health Center is ‘in the bush’. Although there’s plenty of forest around, that’s not what ‘in the bush’ means. It means a long way away. A long way from healthcare. A long way from electricity. A long way from prosperity. There’s no place to deliver your baby safely within a 15km circle of Oberabic. In some directions its 30km. If you’re in labour, even 5km can be too far to walk.
Tonight, Adong and Acan pace the maternity room. Then sit. Then lie. Then pace. Hands on hips. Arched backs. Their husbands, sisters and mothers watch on. Its 9:30pm at night, and the labour pains start to bite.
Nurse/Midwife Chris stands between the two soon-to-be mothers. Labour isn’t easy
At 3:00am, superstar combined nurse/midwife Chris delivered Adong’s baby. Everything went smoothly, but its not always the case. The most important intervention which stop mums and babies from dying, is to have a skilled attendant deliver the baby. Chris knows how to use drugs and equipment when things go wrong. Chris knows when the situation is so bad the mother needs to be sent to hospital.
Adong’s boy. You may wonder if its OK to think black babies are cuter? Its OK. They are.
Adong is 23, and this is her 3rd baby. When Acan delivers in a few hours, it will be her 8th. Before she goes home, Chris tries to convince Adong to use family planning so she can at least have a break from new kids for a while. She says no for now, but promises to come back in 2 weeks to discuss it again. Will she really come back? Chris is confident.
Grandma admires her new grandson. Acan (right) is still in labour!
Chris is confident because he does an amazing job helping women take control of their lives. In the last year over 600 women have received some kind of family planning at Oberabic. ‘In the bush’ at Oberabic you have more options for family planning than in many clinics in the developed world. If you want to wait for 1 month, 2 months, 3 months. 2 years, 3 years or 5 years Chris and the team have you covered!
Chris with the ‘family planning’ cupboard. 8 different family planning options!
The irony is, the most helpful (and cost effective) thing we can do for these women is not to deliver their babies, but help them have less. If like Acan you have 8 kids, you don’t get education or serious paid work, and you are utterly dependent on your husband. You may also put your daughter on the same path. If you have 3 children, you’ve got a chance, and so does does your daughter who you can afford to send to school.
Ugandapanda 
Thanks for this post. Great story. Thankyou to Chris for doing a wonderful job.
With love and prayers in Christ,
Dorothy
BCB Bhanabhai and DMH Laing Bhanabhai 0212242728 (Bharat) 021524643 (Dorothy) ________________________________
Thanks Dorothy you’re a great encouragement. I’ll pass on your thanks to Chris :).
Chris is doing a great job but how does he get mums in labour to town if they have complications he can’t cope with.
Just wondering what meds are at Chris’s disposal for prevention of post partum hemorrhage and how readily available are these meds? Also are contraceptive methods made available by the Ugandan government or are they donated? I agree, that Chris is providing a much needed service to the women of Uganda.
Great question Ted. All the nurses and midwives here have Oxytocin and know how to use it well. Obviously there’s IV fluids and catheter for the immediate management as well. For blood, referral is the only option. I’m thinking of stocking them with tranexamic acid on the basis of a very promising recent study too. jury’s still out though. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20170429/Low-cost-drug-for-severe-bleeding-could-save-lives-of-mothers-after-childbirth.aspx.
Hydralazine and magnesium are there for eclampsia pre-referral management.