Nepal Midwifery Elective: Practise makes perfect

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Practise makes perfect

Thank you so much to the Practising Midwife for donating 6 journals to give to the Midwifery Society of Nepal. The Practising Midwife is the best selling midwifery journal, actively read by many of us Surrey student midwives!!, and we cannot thank them enough, especially Laura Yeates for organising the donations and delivery. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!

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About our placement

Upon searching for a placement we came across an article by Ms Laxmi Tamang discussing maternity care in Nepal. She discussed how in Nepal, 12 mothers and 75 newborn babies die in childbirth everyday (Tamang). And as most babies in Nepal are born at home, 67% of maternal deaths occur there (Pathank et al 1998). It was then when we researched Ms. Tamang’s birth centre that we felt inspired and wanted to go there to see firsthand what was happening.

With only 5 years left until 2015 when Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be achieved (United Nations a), Ms. Tamang is doing a brilliant job in promoting safe motherhood and reaching communities who otherwise may not want to go to hospital due to travel, fear or cost. Her family planning clinic offers contraception which will aid in reaching MDGs, as one in three deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth could be avoided if women who wanted effective contraception had access to it (United Nations b). As Sarah Brown, Global Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA), has stated “the greatest gift we can give the next generation is that they can grow up with their mothers” (Pett 2009)

We contacted Ms. Tamang and with no surprise we received a warm welcome to come to her clinic in Kathmandu. We will also able to travel to Pokhara to spend time with Ms. Jita Baral, who is a nurse-midwife and reproductive health coordinator. The birth centre has the following services we will be able to visit:

• Immunisation services: Tetanus Toxoid (TT) for pregnant women and BCG, DPT/Hepatitis B, Polio and Measles vaccination for children under one year

• Family planning services: counselling and distribution of devices

• Counselling for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS

• Sexually transmitted infections case management

• Once a week obstetrics and gynaecology clinic, and a paediatric clinic run by consultants

• Cervical screening (Pap smear test)

• Comprehensive abortion care for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy as per government policy

• Biannual free health check-up camp

• Awareness raising activities in the community about the importance of safe motherhood and reproductive health issues, in close coordination with local non-government organisations and women’s groups

• Regular home-visits to ensure continuity of the services and effective follow-up

• Advocacy and activities regarding women and neonatal life saving and disease prevention and health promotion

Ms. Tamang is also organising visits to 7 major hospitals for us to visit in Nepal. As you can see it is going to be an amazing and unforgettable experience........

Items Donated

11 x mini milk toothpastes, thanks Corrine x
9 x VE pocket guides
Five Thirty Five Ltd./Maternity TENS: 2 fetal dopplers, batteries, TENS machines x 2, cot blankets x 2, muslins pack x 2, sonicaid gel, electronic sanitizer, and TENS electrode pads x 10
Huntleigh: D900/D920 High sensitivity Pocket Doppler
Lansinoh: 50 x Lanolin cream and breast pads
MIDIRS: 15 pens, 4 pinnards and 4 publications
Newborn clothes, thanks Becky xx
RCM - Pinnards
SANDS - £200 for the Birth Centre
The Practising Midwife Journals x 6
Touch-Needs: Birth Matters Baby and Pelvis
Ultrasound technologies/Freeplay: Fetal Heart Rate Monitor and Sonogel