Despite obvious shaky distractions, we still managed to squeeze in some training with Tenzing (the healthcare worker in Ghunsa), and Lamu (the midwife). Main things we discussed were antenatal care, identifying high risk pregnancies, post-partum management and children's health. There are various issues specific to Ghunsa, for example iodine deficiency, general nutritional deficiencies, and a high rate of anaemia, which is compounded by the fact that Ghunsa is at 3500m and there is a little less oxygen floating around. The main problem however is lack of access to hospital care- it is at least a 3 day walk out to the nearest road end, and a very understaffed and under-resourced hospital is found there. Hence the focus on preventive healthcare and identifying in advance which women need to deliver in hospital. At the end of last year a woman died after giving birth due to heavy bleeding, and her baby subsequently starved to death over the next 6 months. We discussed how each of these circumstances could be prevented were such a thing to happen again.
Tenzing has recently completed 2 months of dental training, so we also took the opportunity to do some teaching with the kids about dental hygiene (which is pretty appalling in these parts).
Despite obvious shaky distractions, we still managed to squeeze in some training with Tenzing (the healthcare worker in Ghunsa), and Lamu (the midwife). Main things we discussed were antenatal care, identifying high risk pregnancies, post-partum management and children's health. There are various issues specific to Ghunsa, for example iodine deficiency, general nutritional deficiencies, and a high rate of anaemia, which is compounded by the fact that Ghunsa is at 3500m and there is a little less oxygen floating around. The main problem however is lack of access to hospital care- it is at least a 3 day walk out to the nearest road end, and a very understaffed and under-resourced hospital is found there. Hence the focus on preventive healthcare and identifying in advance which women need to deliver in hospital. At the end of last year a woman died after giving birth due to heavy bleeding, and her baby subsequently starved to death over the next 6 months. We discussed how each of these circumstances could be prevented were such a thing to happen again.
Tenzing has recently completed 2 months of dental training, so we also took the opportunity to do some teaching with the kids about dental hygiene (which is pretty appalling in these parts).
1 comment:
Thanks Penny!
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