admin
Nqobile Tshili Bulawayo Bureau
FIRST Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s vision to save lives of new born babies with breathing complications through the Help Babies Breathe medical programme in remote areas has started bearing fruit as it saved the life of an infant during a medical outreach programme spearheaded by Angel of Hope Foundation in Chisizya, Binga.
Amai Mnangagwa’s Angel of Hope Foundation partnered with a team of American doctors under the banner ZimbabWe Care to provide health services to communities in rural provinces.
Among the medical team was a nurse who is an expert in helping newly born babies with complications breath and through the partnership with Angel of Hope Foundation, she was teaching local health providers to execute this critical service.
Equipment that was in use has since been donated to health facilities in Binga.
Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) is the first module in the Helping Babies Survive (HBS) suite of evidence-based educational programs, which teaches the skills of caring for healthy babies and assisting babies that do not breathe on their own after birth.
As the First Lady’s team in conjunction with ZimbabWe Care, an organisation founded by an American health administrator Mr Eric Rose, was wrapping up its activities at the remotely Chisizya village where it attended to about 600 people, an expecting mother started having labour contractions.
Shortly after she delivered a baby but there was a complication, the child was having challenges breathing and the Health Babies Breath procedure, was now expected to be performed.
Luckily, Ms Michelle Stagg, a registered nurse in the US who besides attending to patients was teaching four local nurses how to perform the HBB procedure, was part of the woman’s delivery team. Observing the anomaly, Ms Stagg said she acted swiftly.
The incident gives an insight into the impact of the First Lady’s philanthropic work.
Angel of Hope Foundation board member Mrs Rachel Nield-Geranios said Amai Mnangagwa’s programme saved the mother and the child as she continues to touch the most vulnerable in the community.
“One of the ladies who came to the clinic yesterday went into labour, but she wasn’t showing signs of active labour when she made consultations with the doctors earlier. She had one baby before and she said I’m sure I’m going to deliver so we put a mattress aside for her. It was about 6PM when she went into active labour and she delivered 10 minutes later,” said Mrs Nield-Geranios.
“By having this team on the ground, it really saved a life yesterday maybe two. The mother had some bleeding issues post-delivery and the baby was a little bit premature and with the Helping Babies Breath programme that Amai had invited to come into those areas, yes it is already in the country but she is trying to promote it to go out to the most rural settings on the ground. Those people who were doing training they were hands on in being able to do the practical steps of saving the baby and help the mother and both of them left the clinic happy and healthy.”
She said Amai Mnangagwa has managed to bring medical experts from America to collaborate with locals in improving health care.
“It’s been a beautiful collaboration of Zimbabwe medical professionals, America’s medical professionals coming together to serve people in the remotest places in Zimbabwe. That kind of energy and synergies is just beautiful. The people have been so receptive, kind hosting us helping us with water and showing the true Zimbabwean hospitality while receiving the desperately needed medical help,” she said.
Ms Stagg who assisted in performing the Help Babies Breath programme said the exercise they performed on the baby shows the importance of going to health care facilities as this can reduce maternal and infants’ deaths.
“The Helping Babies Breath is a programme that helps health workers to be quick in noticing that a baby is struggling after its born. We teach the health workers the protocol to assess that and quickly respond to that so that they can get air. We ask them to do that within that minute. I’m happy that we were able to assist a baby breath yesterday who was having difficulties breathing,” said Ms Stagg.
The team was attending to patients at Chibila Clinic in the same district.
Founder of ZimbabWe Care Mr Rose, who mobilised the doctors, nurses and other health practitioners said the response they received was overwhelming.
“It has been a great three days we feel. We had a very successful clinic seeing a number of patients, either dental or medical that they needed. So, it is good to be on the ground and work with Angel of Hope so that we identify additional items that we can help up with and work with Angel of Hope Foundation, beds, and other infrastructure type. So, we feel that was very successful and for us this is what we love to do, to be out treating patients as much as we can,” said Mr Rose.
He said it was pleasing that health facilities were being constructed in remote centres.
At Chiliba, the clinic started operating last month, reducing distances travelled by members of the public.
Local doctor and ZimbabWe Care dental surgeon Dr Kudakwashe Time and his team were among the busiest doctors extracting teeth.
“We have been doing dental work mainly focusing on tooth extractions. Most of the people who come here need dental help and, in this trip, we have been focusing on extractive work for both adults and young people. We have also been running oral health education so that we don’t continue removing their teeth,” said Dr Time.
In some of cases, the Angel of Hope Foundation team, would use its vehicles to go and pick up patients who could not travel to the local clinic.
Chiliba Clinic health worker Mr Fortunate Ncube commended the First Lady for unlocking the doors for the community as most of them were failing to access dental services.
“This programme has helped a lot of people; they have not received such help in a long time especially dental services. There is no nearby place that offers that service. From time-to-time mobile teams from Binga District Hospital would come up but this has not happened in a long time. On dental services they have helped a lot of people as well as other ailments. We are happy that the First Lady brought people all the way from America to come and assist us,” said Mr Ncube.
He said the donated equipment for the Help Babies Breath programme is going to be handy in reducing the number of children who die due to complications at birth.
A villager, Mr Ronald Ncube said he rushed to the clinic when he heard that the First Lady had mobilised doctors to provide free medical care to the community.
“Well, it is essential to know your health status. These days they are a lot of chronic illnesses. I was worried by my BP so I came here to have it checked and also to attend to other health matters. We are proud that the Amai Mnangagwa thought of our community as she partnered with these doctors. A lot of our members are going to have their lives transformed as medical care is not easy these days. We are very happy with the service we are getting here,” said Mr Ncube.
Mrs Mildred Ngonya from Chiliba village said she was having problems with her eyes but due to lack of financial resources she could not be receive help.
“So, this initiative that has been spearheaded by Amai Mnangagwa has come handy for us. I didn’t know where I would get the medication but today, I was given glasses and tablets to attend to some of the pains that I feel. My wish is for such services to be continuously availed to us,” said Mrs Ngonya.
Online Reporter