Saranna DeWylde was our guest last week at this link. She introduced me to Operation Spartan Stork. From its Facebook page,
We are the medical team deployed with Combined Task Force Spartan in Southern Afghanistan. Since our arrival it has become apparent that while Afghanistan is progressing from a state of emergency to focus on development, women and children continue to face an “acute emergency” because of staggeringly high maternal and child mortality rates.
Afghanistan has the second highest infant mortality rate... and the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world with 140 infant deaths for every 1,000 children born in Afghanistan (compared to 6 infant deaths per 1,000 children born in the United States.) Pregnancy-related complications lead to death in 1 out of every 8 Afghan women. These statistics most likely are reflective of the fact that 87 percent of all births in Afghanistan occur in the home without access to professional medical attention.
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| globalgiving.org |
With proper health education and access to health care, this trend can be reversed. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health has placed the reduction of maternal and infant mortality as their top priority, and we are looking to back their efforts 100 percent.
To do this, our team will provide basic birth attendant education and birthing kits to the local Afghan women. This training will help the local women to recognize early warning signs of maternal and neonatal complications and assist them in providing a safer home delivery. The distribution of pre-packaged birthing kits that are designed to increase sanitation and cleanliness will minimize the risk of infection in home deliveries.
There is medical evidence that with proper birth attendant training and the use of birthing kits one can reduce the infant mortality rate by as much as 45 percent.
What we need is your help in gathering the supplies for these much needed Birthing Kits and sending them to:
BCT MEDOPS
ATTN: Birthing Kits
3IBCT, 10th MTN DIV
FOB PASAB
APO AE 09370
Each Birthing Kit Contains: One bar of soap, Alcohol swab, Sterile gloves, 4x4 gauze pads, Umbilical clamp, Scalpel blade, Suction bulb, Towels, Baby blanket, Betadine brush, Baby cap, Maternity chucks pads, 1 quart ziplock bag, and Garbage bag
Your support towards our Medical efforts will be a huge help in tackling these devastatingly high statistics.
To do this, our team will provide basic birth attendant education and birthing kits to the local Afghan women. This training will help the local women to recognize early warning signs of maternal and neonatal complications and assist them in providing a safer home delivery. The distribution of pre-packaged birthing kits that are designed to increase sanitation and cleanliness will minimize the risk of infection in home deliveries.
There is medical evidence that with proper birth attendant training and the use of birthing kits one can reduce the infant mortality rate by as much as 45 percent.
What we need is your help in gathering the supplies for these much needed Birthing Kits and sending them to:
BCT MEDOPS
ATTN: Birthing Kits
3IBCT, 10th MTN DIV
FOB PASAB
APO AE 09370
Each Birthing Kit Contains: One bar of soap, Alcohol swab, Sterile gloves, 4x4 gauze pads, Umbilical clamp, Scalpel blade, Suction bulb, Towels, Baby blanket, Betadine brush, Baby cap, Maternity chucks pads, 1 quart ziplock bag, and Garbage bag
Your support towards our Medical efforts will be a huge help in tackling these devastatingly high statistics.
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| spiritofamerica.net |
Mahalo, Saranna, for giving me the opportunity to spotlight this valuable service that our medial personnel can provide to the Afghan people. Today's giveaway is for Operation Spartan Stork - I will send them a box of supplies. But I welcome your comments - have you birthed a baby? Assisted with one? Cut the umbilical cord? Or do you (like me) get queasy when any blood appears - in person or on TV?
I like NCIS but I don't like the autopsy scenes!
I like NCIS but I don't like the autopsy scenes!
Mahalo,
Kim in Hawaii
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| lca.org.au |
I do hope many Afghan women will get access to health care and of course learning about this issue. I was present when my cousin gave birth. The doctor had me hold up on of her legs. Her husband and I declined to cut the umbilical cord. I was scared to.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post. I have witnessed a lot of births as part of my nurses training - years ago. Amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post, Kim. I'll be checking out Operation Spartan Stork further.
ReplyDeleteI have not assisted or witnessed a birth. I don't get queasy at the sight of blood; at one time I had thought about becoming a forensics pathologist.
Great post Kim. I've never assisted or witnessed a birth.
ReplyDeleteNo, never witnessed or help birth a child. I was just present for my own. That was enough. However, I found that my mid-wife at Camp Pendleton was fabulous. Better than the doc. I salute any person in the medical field. Nope, not for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I will see if I can get a group interested in this at my school when it starts.
ReplyDeleteI have never witnessed or helped birth a child....My sister was my best chance of it but she gets mean and I could not stand to see her in pain. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me again, Kim. You're an angel for all that you do.
ReplyDelete<3