Post by Rick Watson on Mar 23, 2006 7:42:20 GMT -5
Dear friends and colleagues,
I will be participating in the Birthing Project Medical Delegation to Honduras May 6-14, 2006. The Birthing Project USA( a non-profit dedicated to improving maternal child health and pregnancy outcomes) is partnering with CHIMES ( a non-profit building the first clinic to provide health care to the Garifuna community) and PINCC (a NGO providing cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment).
The Garifuna people are descended from escaped African slaves and the indigenous Carib people. They were exiled to this remote, undeveloped area of Honduras because of their fierce resistance to Spanish, French and British domination. They are without roads, electricity, telephone, indoor plumbing, sanitation, medical care, secondary schools or other basic services. 30% of children born alive die before their second birthday. 72% of the population is illiterate or semi-literate.
We are supporting the Garifuna midwives of Ciroboya and surrounding villages with supplies, medicines and continuing education. We will provide a 3 day continuing education class to 23 Garifuna midwives. They have requested education on HIV-Aids and supplies, including prenatal vitamins and birthing kits. We will also provide, or assist in providing basic medical care, prenatal care and education to the women and children in three villages.
I spent two years in Senegal, West Africa as clinical director for the African American Islamic Institute (a NGO). In my experience we want to avoid disposables as much as possible where there is no safe place to dispose of them. Our goal is to supply each midwife with equipment/instruments that are reusable and the knowledge to use them safely. That said, we do need to supply gloves to prevent cross contamination and protect against HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and other communicable diseases. .
Each Midwife Kit to include:
Gloves sterile and non-sterile
Fetascope
2 Scissors blunt/sharp
2 Hemostats
Small stainless steel instrument pan & cover for boiling/sterilization
5 metal umbilical cord clamps or appropriate cord
5 disposable nailbrushes (can be re-used many times)
2 bars Dial soap
Retractable tape measure for measuring fundal height
Wheel for determining approximate due date.
Prenatal vitamins, iron and calcium
The team will need basic antibiotics like Bactrim and Ampicillin, also Tylenol adult and children’s. Reading glasses are also being requested.
This list may be further refined and added to with input from our team, friends and allies.
Thank you for your concern. This is a unique opportunity to support a valiant, undefeated people who are isolated because they refused to be enslaved by the Spanish or fight for the British. Please assist us in any way you can. You can make a tax deductible donation of cash or needed supplies to the Birthing Project USA(address and e-mail, website)
Peace and Blessings,
UmmSalaamah (Sondra) Abdullah-Zaimah CNM
Midwifery Director
K, my love, please review and approve this letter before I distribute it for donations
I will be participating in the Birthing Project Medical Delegation to Honduras May 6-14, 2006. The Birthing Project USA( a non-profit dedicated to improving maternal child health and pregnancy outcomes) is partnering with CHIMES ( a non-profit building the first clinic to provide health care to the Garifuna community) and PINCC (a NGO providing cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment).
The Garifuna people are descended from escaped African slaves and the indigenous Carib people. They were exiled to this remote, undeveloped area of Honduras because of their fierce resistance to Spanish, French and British domination. They are without roads, electricity, telephone, indoor plumbing, sanitation, medical care, secondary schools or other basic services. 30% of children born alive die before their second birthday. 72% of the population is illiterate or semi-literate.
We are supporting the Garifuna midwives of Ciroboya and surrounding villages with supplies, medicines and continuing education. We will provide a 3 day continuing education class to 23 Garifuna midwives. They have requested education on HIV-Aids and supplies, including prenatal vitamins and birthing kits. We will also provide, or assist in providing basic medical care, prenatal care and education to the women and children in three villages.
I spent two years in Senegal, West Africa as clinical director for the African American Islamic Institute (a NGO). In my experience we want to avoid disposables as much as possible where there is no safe place to dispose of them. Our goal is to supply each midwife with equipment/instruments that are reusable and the knowledge to use them safely. That said, we do need to supply gloves to prevent cross contamination and protect against HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and other communicable diseases. .
Each Midwife Kit to include:
Gloves sterile and non-sterile
Fetascope
2 Scissors blunt/sharp
2 Hemostats
Small stainless steel instrument pan & cover for boiling/sterilization
5 metal umbilical cord clamps or appropriate cord
5 disposable nailbrushes (can be re-used many times)
2 bars Dial soap
Retractable tape measure for measuring fundal height
Wheel for determining approximate due date.
Prenatal vitamins, iron and calcium
The team will need basic antibiotics like Bactrim and Ampicillin, also Tylenol adult and children’s. Reading glasses are also being requested.
This list may be further refined and added to with input from our team, friends and allies.
Thank you for your concern. This is a unique opportunity to support a valiant, undefeated people who are isolated because they refused to be enslaved by the Spanish or fight for the British. Please assist us in any way you can. You can make a tax deductible donation of cash or needed supplies to the Birthing Project USA(address and e-mail, website)
Peace and Blessings,
UmmSalaamah (Sondra) Abdullah-Zaimah CNM
Midwifery Director
K, my love, please review and approve this letter before I distribute it for donations