Sisters’ Clinic a Big Boost to Maternal And Child Health
Benin: Sisters’ Clinic a Big Boost to Maternal And Child Health
(Nairobi)
1 April 2008
Posted to the web 1 April 2008
Zaffe
The Medical Missionary of Mary report about work at their clinic in this West African nation:
The bad news is that termites ate their way through the electrical cables supplying the laboratory at our clinic at Zaffe in Benin. This meant the whole electrical installation to the lab had to be redone. It is a busy department, helping the early detection of disease and avoiding complications later.
The good news is that 8,827 people received attention at the clinic last year, a little under 50 percent of them children. There was a reduction in the incidence of anaemia, down to 251 patients compared to 380 the previous year.
Malaria continues to be the biggest single problem. Gastro-intestinal diseases and respiratory tract infections were also a concern. The sisters are involved in the distribution of government-subsidized mosquito nets, although not enough were available to cater for the demand.
The clinic’s outreach program to the surrounding villages continues to provide a good venue for imparting health education. The sisters hope to extend this during the coming months by targeting the main problems encountered in the clinic. Almost 6,000 vaccinations were provided, including mothers, babies and other adults.
The ultrasound service, newly introduced just a year ago, has been of great help in detecting antenatal and gynaecological problems, enabling appropriate care to be provided. It is offered at a very low cost, and 149 clients availed of the service. The Maternity Unit is open 24/7, providing 228 deliveries in the year, including six sets of twins.
In Benin, not every mother comes to the Unit for delivery. A total of 1,473 availed of antenatal consultations, and 98 availed of postnatal care. While we would like to see more mothers showing concern for their own postnatal health, it takes time to develop this custom, especially when they live far away and are occupied on their farms. Meanwhile, we are happy to see that most mothers bring their babies for vaccination in due time.