The article did say that there were 7 (?)
Australian midwives who were overworked. I think the ACMI put out a request for
interested people to go over a few weeks back. Jo -----Original Message----- Thanks for posting the
story. I had been wondering what was happening to all the women needing
midwifery care in these places. The story gave no indication if there are any
aid groups providing midwifery care. From the news it seems that the focus of
medical/nursing care is emergency/trauma. Do any of the Australian
midwifery groups/associations have connections to the Indonesian Midwives
association? Cath Palmer -----Original Message----- Midwives' deaths compound
tsunami tragedies
After surviving the tsunami, many women are facing the
danger of giving birth alone — a grim legacy of the loss of hundreds of
midwives among the disaster's dead. "It breaks my heart to see mothers forced to cut
the cord by themselves," said Fitriana, a volunteer from Solidaritas
Perempuan, a women's aid group. "It's very dangerous for the mother and
baby because all of the things used are not sterile." The Indonesian Midwives Association says 30% — about
1,650 — of its members on the northern tip of Those still working are overwhelmed. Revita and her sister,
Syukriah, have set up a makeshift clinic in a refugee camp in a clearing tucked
in the lush green hills above the provincial capital, Banda Aceh. Revita says the two plan to stay in the camp, despite
endless problems, including a scare Thursday when Indonesian soldiers attacked
suspected separatist rebels in a nearby forest. Bursts of gunfire sent camp
residents, pregnant women among them, diving to the ground in fear. "I cannot leave them, I have to stay here and
help," said Revita, who like many Indonesians uses one name. "There
are so many pregnant women." Revita knows the problems firsthand. Two weeks ago,
she gave birth to her own child in a dark tent without even a piece of soap —
to say nothing of basic obstetric care. Syukriah used scissors to cut the umbilical cord of
her sister's newborn. Other mothers have used bamboo shards. The newborn, Zakira, — which means tent in Arabic —
wriggled in her mother's arms. A thin prayer book was tucked under her small
pillow. "For the moment, she is healthy," Syukriah
said. "But, the nights are cold and there are so many mosquitoes. We have
only thin tents." The U.N. Population Fund estimates there are nearly
15,000 pregnant women among the survivors in The lack of midwives is compounded by the scarcity of
doctors in the region. Some 2,000 health workers have been sent to Aceh,
including nine midwives who are struggling to keep up with the demand. Revita and Syukriah set up their clinic with no
medicine, improvising by crushing medicinal roots to make ointment for babies
with skin rashes or fevers. "I fear for Zakira's future and my own
2-month-old baby," Syukriah said, rocking the infants in makeshift cradles
made of sarongs, metal springs and rope hung from tree branches. Because of the sisters' presence, the 20-tent camp has
become a magnet for pregnant women and nursing mothers, among the long list of
other needy. Some 50 people lined up Thursday as Revita checked for
fevers, headaches, stomach pains and other illness. They lay on straw mats,
waiting for her to pull out pills from two instant noodle boxes, which serve as
the clinic's medicine cabinet. The troubles have made a joyous time difficult to
bear. In Acehnese culture, the delivery of a baby is traditionally celebrated
with feasts, prayers and the slaughtering of goats at a name-giving ceremony. "It breaks an Acehnese mother's heart not to be
able to do or give these things," Revita sobbed. "I can't even give
them the most essential thing — a clean and safe home." Acehnese culture also instructs women to stay at home
for 60 days after giving birth, to recover from labor and because of beliefs
that women are impure from the bleeding of childbirth. But Revita and Syukriah,
whose husbands both survived the disaster, know their services are needed. Henia Dakkak, a public health specialist for the U.N.
Population Fund, said the group plans to distribute nearly 20 tons of hygiene
and prenatal care products — including razor blades, soap and sanitary napkins.
Aid groups will also hand out head scarves to Muslim
women who lost them as they ran for their lives. Without the coverings, some
women will not go out to get aid. "Men are more likely to be aggressive in getting
aid while women are left behind," Dakkak said. "We need to give more
help to the women. The Acehnese can't afford to lose any more women now."
--- --- --- |
- RE: [ozmidwifery] has anyone heard this? Dean & Jo
- RE: [ozmidwifery] has anyone heard this? A & C Palmer
- RE: [ozmidwifery] has anyone heard this? Dr Barbara Vernon
- RE: [ozmidwifery] has anyone heard this? A & C Palmer