The month of July 2011, we organized the first Gynecology Mission.
Given the high incidence of neurological problems in children and because these can be related to maternal nutritional deficits in pregnancy and intrapartum hypoxia, we considered the possibility of improving maternal and fetal care.
Our destination was the neighboring Pemba Island (Zanzibar), and more specifically the Chake Chake Hospital, where we observed that intrapartum fetal monitoring is practically non-existent, and the fetal death rate is very high, since, in addition, they do not perform resuscitation for respiratory depressed newborns, or use any kind of childbirth instrument.
The only indication of caesarean section is fetal-pelvic disproportion.
Chake Chake Hospital has a good staff of midwives and paramedical personnel and except during the summer months, there is currently a Cuban gynecologist as part of a brigade.
NED Gynecology intends to organize 3-4 missions a year composed of a gynecologist, midwife and operating room nurse.
Our priorities are:
– To obtain resources for delivery rooms such as: vacuum extractor, CTG and control systems for managing IV medication infusion (especially oxytocin, but also antihypertensives, magnesium sulfate, among others)
– To perform lectures on the use of these resources to reduce the incidence of neonatal asphyxia and death, and provide paramedic personnel with surgical skills in gynecology in addition to collaborating with the gynecology brigade in Pemba for complex interventions.
In our next mission, which is expected by February, we intend to visit two other hospitals on the island: Wete and Mkoani and expand our mission to try to improve obstetric gynecological care throughout the island.
The welcome by staff Chake Chake Hospital has been wonderful and they have expressed their willingness to learn and improve their conditions, mainly in delivery rooms.
Our help is being very well received.
The coordinator of this great project is:
Dra. Rosa Mª Barrachina Tortajada
Gynecology Coordinator
