In cooperation with the government and the church, the Mother and Child Health Program was founded in 2011 to improve care for pregnant women and reduce infant mortality.
In addition to the hospital, there are Dispensariesalong the coast—small facilities serving as contact points for outpatient care. These dispensaries are staffed by nurses or assistant medical officers who are in training under the supervision of doctors. They offer first aid and primary healthcare services. Starting from the hospital, there are four Dispensaries dispensaries up to 40 km to the north and eight Dispensaries up to 60 km to the south. The roads to these Dispensaries are sand and gravel tracks, making them difficult to access, especially during the rainy season. The Mother and Child Program utilizes these Dispensaries as contact points for medical check-ups. A team consisting of a doctor, nurse, lab technician, and driver visits each dispensary in turn. The goal is to conduct three trips a year to the north and three to the south, ensuring that every pregnant woman receives two to three examinations during her pregnancy.
During visits to the Dispensaries , up to 100 pregnant women are registered and examined each day to rule out HIV infection, among other health concerns. If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with HIV, she receives special anti-retroviral therapy and special treatment at birth to prevent transmission to the child. The costs of this therapy are covered by the state.
All mothers are informed about HIV, and a selection process is conducted to determine which expectant mothers can have home births and which should deliver in the hospital, based on factors like age, number of pregnancies, and medical history. Since the inception of the Mother and Child Program, infant mortality has been significantly reduced. Patients pay a small fee, equivalent to around €1, while very poor patients receive free examinations.
For Friends of St. Anne's e.V., this project was the most costly and time-consuming from 2011 to 2018.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters!
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