Blog

A Work in Progress
September 13, 2010

Over the past year, the number of women seeking maternity services at the Clinic has risen dramatically. This is because of the many initiatives by the John Dau Foundation such as trainings for traditional birth attendants, hiring of new clinical staff, and an increase in supplies brought in to the Clinic. The number of women coming for routine prenatal care checkups has grown by more than ten times what it was a year ago. The number of births at the Clinic has quadrupled, astounding numbers for an area where women have been used to only traditional practices, and where no other such services exist for more than a day’s walk.

Yet, the challenges are still great. Just last month, a mother passed away at the Clinic during a difficult delivery. This woman had been eagerly coming for the prenatal and maternity services at the Clinic such as getting her blood screened and receiving vaccinations. She needed a Cesarean section, a function for which the Clinic is still lacking both physical and human resources to handle. The loss weighs especially heavy on the Clinic staff, who are working in an area with so few resources.

This is an illustration of the amazing things the Clinic has been able to do in an area where 1 in 7 mothers will lose her life to childbirth, and a showing of the work that is still to be done.