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April 2010 Newsletter Hamlin Fistula UK

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  • 8/9/2019 April 2010 Newsletter Hamlin Fistula UK

    1/8

    April 2010

    Hospital

    Report

    TheOnlyUKCharityExclusivelySupportingtheAddis

    AbabaFistulaHospitalinEthiopia

    UKRegisteredCharitynumber257741

    RightLivelihoodAward widelyknownastheAlternativeNobelPrize

    DrHamlinwasnotabletotraveltoStockholmtoreceivethisprestigiousaward,soshewasrepresentedby

    Annette Bennett (Midwifery College) and Matron Ejigayehu. The following citation is, however, Dr

    Hamlins.

    Iftherearethreeburdensinlifethatweseektoavoid,itispain,physicaldiscomfortandsocialexclusion.

    Obstetricfistula isa lifelong condition thatproducesall three in the same individualand inmillionsof

    womenworldwide.

    IftheRightLivelihoodAwardisanawardforpersonalcourageandsocialtransformation,perhapsitshould

    beawardedtoeachwomaninEthiopiaorelsewherewhoresolvestomakealongjourneytoaremoteand

    unfamiliarhospitalwherehercourageisfurthertestedbymedicaloperationsonpartsofherbodynormally

    private.Medicalsuccessisalwaysawonderfulrewardforadoctor,butthesocialtransformationresulting

    fromawomanspersonalstruggleisanawardthatonlyshehasearned.

    MidwiferyCollege

    MatronEjigayehureceivestheRight

    LivelihoodAwardonbehalfofDr

    Hamlin

    MidwiferyCollege

    TheMinistryofHealthhasmadeourCollegethemodelforthecountryofEthiopiaasamidwiferytraining

    centreandmembersofothercollegeshavebeentoinspectthewaywework. Allofthemareimpressed

    withourteachingmethods,ourlibraryandvariousbuildings.Thecollegehaswonahighlevelofrespectin

    thecountryforthestandardsofexcellencethathavebeenimplemented.

    AllofthisisadreamcometrueforDrHamlin,forherinitialintentionofcomingtoEthiopia50yearsago

    wasto

    train

    midwives.

    AnnetteBennetthashandedovertheroleofDeanoftheCollegetoJacquelineBernhard,thistookeffect

    fromthebeginningofFebruary.Jacquelinehassignificantexperienceinclinicalandacademicworkinboth

    EuropeanandAfricansettings.

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    StudentMidwives

    AnnettewillcontinueasViceDeanatthecollegeandwillhavemajorresponsibilitiesintheareaofclinical

    workandpreparingforthedeploymentofthefirstoftheMidwiferyGraduatesintothecountrysidelaterin

    theyear.

    We

    recognise

    the

    enormous

    contribution

    that

    Annette

    and

    her

    team

    (and

    Beverley,

    one

    of

    our

    UK

    trustees)havemade ingettingthecollegestartedandnowsettingsuchahighstandardthatthecollege

    has.

    NewsfromDrHamlin

    Iwanttothankallofyouwhoareourfaithfulsupporters.YouhavereadearliernewsofourMidwifery

    College.Ouronlymalemidwife,SolomonAbebeissoontobeinchargeofthedeploymentofourgraduate

    midwivesintothecountryside.Heisespeciallyfittedforsuchataskwithhispreviousexperienceofvisiting

    healthcentresinthecountry.

    Ourmidwivesbelongtousandweshallberesponsibleforthemoncetheyareoutontheirown.Weneed

    tonurturethemandvisitthemregularlyastheyfaceanewandbigchallenge fromhighschoolstudentto

    amidwifery student, to the countrysidewhere they spent their childhood and schooldays, tonowbe

    responsibleforthebirthofbabiesandthecareandwelfareofmothers.Thisisoneofthemostimportant

    tasksintheworld.Webelieveourstudentshavebeenwelltrainedandpreparedforthistask,andtaught

    whatmylatehusbandwasalwaysemphasisingandteaching,Amotherisafamilysrichestpossession,a

    beingofpricelessworth.

    Wenowhaveagreatteamofdedicatedmidwivesastutorsand Ibelievewecandomuchtoreducethe

    enormous maternal death rate in the countryside and the prevalence of stillborn babies and fistula

    injuriesalivingdeathforsomanyyoungwomen!

    KassasStory

    Kassa (notherrealname)arrivedatourhospital inAddisAbabawithher father.DrHamlinasked them

    howtheyhadmadethe longjourneyallthewayfromLalibela, inNorthernWollo.Kassasfathersaidhe

    hadsoldhisonlyploughingoxtoraiseenoughmoneyforthejourney,hedidntmindbecausehesaidhe

    wantedhisdaughtertobecured.Kassahadsevereinjuriesandfortunatelyshewascuredbutwillprobably

    neverbeabletobemarriedortohaveachildagain.

    At thetimethatKassaandherfatherwereatthehospital,somebirdwatcherscame tovisitwhilethey

    wereinAddisAbabaandDrHamlintoldthemKassasstory.Thesevisitorscollectedbetweenthemenough

    moneytobuythefathertwomoreploughingoxen.Howgenerouspeopleare!

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    EmawasStory

    Ethiopianfarmerploughingwithoxen

    (PhotobycourtesyofAbrahamsOasis)

    EmawasStory

    Emawa(notherrealname)isapatientinourhospitalforthethirdtime.Shelivesinthenorthernpartof

    thecountryinaveryremotevillagewithoutinfrastructure.Withherfirstpregnancyshehadbeeninlabour

    forfourdaysbeforedeliveringastillbornbabyandsufferingfistuladamage.Emawasaid,Ihaveagood

    husbandwho didnt desertme andwho encouragedme not to feel ashamed ofmyselfwhile hewas

    searchingforhelpformy injury.Hetookhertothenearesthealthclinicfortreatment,butwastoldto

    takehertotheAAFistulaHospitalwhereshewouldhavethemedicalcaresheneeded.Thisnewswashard

    forthembecausetheyhadnomoneyforbusfares.Emawasaid,Hesoldouronlyproperty,anox,tobring

    me

    here.

    Such

    an

    action

    is

    so

    hard

    for

    a

    farmer

    as

    their

    only

    source

    of

    income

    is

    using

    the

    ox

    to

    plough

    the

    smallareaof land theyhave.Shehasjustdeliveredababygirl,her secondbaby sincehavinga fistula

    repair,shealsohasaboyof4years.Sheisverygratefulandhappyandherhusbandcallsinfrequentlyto

    makesuresheisalright.Emawaisnowanxioustogohomeandrejoicewithherfamily.

    MedicalNews

    Amajorpartofouractivityisrelatedtoresearchandtrainingforthebenefitoffistulapatientsworldwide.

    FourofourdoctorsandahealthofficerattendedanannualmeetingoftheInternationalSocietyofFistula

    Surgeonsin

    Nairobi.

    ThetrainingofdoctorsandnursesinfistulacareisatpresenttakingplaceinourhospitalsinAddisAbaba,

    BahirDarandYirgalem.

    Inourmainhospitalandtheoutreachcentres606procedureshavetakenplaceinthelastthreemonths.

    Severalofourstaffhaveupgradedtheireducationallevel,thusenablingthemtogivebettertreatmentand

    care toourpatients.Fourhavecompleted theirBSc innursing.TheyareSistersKonjit,Genet,Lidiaand

    Bethlehem.Wesendourcongratulationstothem.

    Newsfrom

    Bahir

    Dar

    Hamlin

    Fistula

    Centre

    Wenowhaveanotherdoctoronthestaff,DrBitew,heworkedherewhilstDrAndrewBrowningwasaway

    on leave inAustraliaandhe isfitting inwell.DrBitew isalsoabletooffercovertoothercentresandhe

    http://oasisethiopia.org/photos/pages/farming2590b.htmhttp://oasisethiopia.org/photos/pages/farming2590b.htmhttp://oasisethiopia.org/photos/pages/farming2590b.htmhttp://oasisethiopia.org/photos/pages/farming2590b.htmhttp://oasisethiopia.org/photos/pages/farming2590b.htm
  • 8/9/2019 April 2010 Newsletter Hamlin Fistula UK

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    recentlywenttoourCentreinHarartooperateonpatientstherewhowouldotherwisehavehadtowait

    muchlonger.

    Muluneshwithhertriplets

    DrAndrewreports,Werecentlyhadalovelywomancometous,Mulunesh,whohaddeliveredtripletsin

    hervillage.MiraculouslyallsurvivedalthoughMuluneshsufferedawful injuries.When the tripletscame

    theywere7monthsold,butallmuchsmallerthanourownbabyChristopher,whowas3monthsoldatthe

    time.Shewastryingtobreastfeedallthreeeventhoughshewasquite illandmalnourished.Twoofthe

    childrenhad severemalariaandallwerepoorly.Wewereveryblessed in thatallchildrendidwelland

    began toputonweightandweregivenChristophersoldclothes.Muluneshwasalsocured sowesent

    themawayallmuchimprovedandwithbabyformulaandclothes.

    Unfortunatelytheydidntdowellathomeandtheyreturnedtousquiteillandthinagain.Theycametoa

    nearbyorphanagerunbysome fellowAustralianChristians. Theyarealldoingwellagainandarebeing

    sponsoredbyfriendsofoursbackinAustralia,whoalsohadtwinsbutweredeliveredbyCaesareanina

    goodhospital.

    DestaMenderJoyVillage

    DestaMenderisafarmvillagesetin60acresoflandabout14milesfromtheAddisAbabaFistulaHospital.

    ThisbeautifullittlepieceofheavenonearthcalledJoyVillageisaplacewheregirlslivewhoseinjuriesare

    soseveretheycantbecured.Itisasmallcommunitywheretheycanlivefreefromridiculeandrejection.

    Althoughsurgerydidntcurethem,bylivingheretheycanbegintorestoretheirselfworthandhavetheir

    lifebackagain.Theycanworkonthefarmlearningaboutmarketgardening,dairying,poultrykeepingand

    eggproduction. They can learnhow tobake, cook, sew andeventuallybe able to sell their crafts and

    embroideriesand

    earn

    awage

    for

    themselves.

    There

    are

    facilities

    in

    place

    for

    them

    to

    attend

    school

    to

    improvetheireducation.Theseyoungwomennowhaveagreaterconfidenceandamuchbrighteroutlook

    ontheirfuture.

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    DestaMenderJoyVillage

    ItispossibleforsomeofthewomentoleaveDestaMenderandlivewithinreachofoneofourOutreach

    Centres.

    They

    can

    be

    closer

    to

    their

    families

    and

    speak

    their

    own

    language

    and

    still

    receive

    the

    medical

    carethattheyneed.

    JuniperCafandConferenceCentre

    Thedevelopmentof theoutdoor JuniperCafatDestaMender isbecomingquiteasuccess. Additional

    catering traininghasbeengiven to11womenand it ishoped thatwith theextraknowledge theyhave

    acquiredthewomenwillbeabletoprepareabuffetlunchserviceforpeoplewhocomeforconferences.

    Brochures and flyers have been distributed to publicise the Caf and Conference Centre for potential

    customersneeding

    out

    of

    town

    dining,

    or

    for

    conducting

    meetings

    and

    conferences.

    The

    number

    of

    people

    coming is quite encouraging and because of the extrawork, thewomen have started to earn a good

    income.Thefeedbackisthatthelocationandserviceprovidedarebothverygood.

    ClinicalAttachments

    AllstudentsfromtheHamlinCollegeofMidwivesspend3monthsonclinicalattachmentstoenablethem

    togainpracticalexperience,usuallybetweenJuneandAugusteachyear.Thestudentsaredividedintotwo

    groups,betweenaruralhealthcentreandAttatHospital,changinggroupshalfwaythrough.Twotutors

    fromthecollegearewithbothgroups.

    StudentsdepartingfromHamlinCollegetoAttat

    withBarbaraKwast(left)andSrGiday(in

    uniform

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    Thestudentsliveinamodesthostelinthevillage.Thefirstyearstudentsdoonlydaydutyintheantenatal

    clinicandthelabourwardandthesecondyearsarealsoonnightduty.

    StudentsHostelinAttat

    BarbaraKwast,amidwiferytutorfromtheNetherlands,helpsasavolunteerandhasbeendoingthisevery

    summersince2008.Shestays for thewholeperiodof time inAttatHospital.AttatHospital is ina rural

    village,literallyattheendofaroadandis165kmsouthwestofAddisAbaba.

    Barbarawillagainthisyear,duringJuneandJuly,devotehertimeandlovetothesecondyearstudentsin

    Attat.Sheislookingforwardtothisrewardingexperiencewiththepregnantwomen,thestudentsandthe

    staffatAttatHospital.(Morenewsinnextissue)

    Physiotherapy

    Nervedamageduringobstructed labourcanresult inaconditionknownasdroppedfoot.Somewomen

    havecontracturesoftendonsandmuscles intheirlegsandhipsduetolongperiodsoflyingdowninone

    positionhopingtheywillhealandbecomedryagain.Itmaytakemorethansixmonthsofphysiotherapy

    beforethepatientscanregaintheuseoftheirlegsandbereadyforsurgery.

    PatientsworkinghardwithPhysiotherapy

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    Whensurgery isover,curedpatientsreturninghomearean importantmeansofeducatingruralwomenaboutfistulaprevention.

    Mostofthewomenwhocomefortreatmenthavesufferedgreatly inmanyways.Theyhavenobabyto

    hold, the husband has probably gone away andmanywill have been isolated from family life. These

    women need specialist psychological counselling.We have a specially trained nurse who assesses the

    needsofeachpatientandensuresthatalltheirissuesarerecognisedanddealtwith.

    Over theyearsabout30,000patientshavebeencured.They returnhomeandare likeambassadorsall

    over the countryside,morepeople are awareof thisproblem. Thehealth centres lecture about it, the

    hospitalsknowaboutitsomorepeoplenowknowthatacureispossible.

    Thosewhogoontobearmorechildrensometimescomebacktouswhilewaitingtobedelivered.Thereis

    aspecialwardwheretheywaituntilwesend themtoanotherhospitaltohaveacaesareansectionand

    theycomebacktoconvalesceafteraboutfivedays.Theywalkaboutandgetstrongbeforewesendthem

    backtotheirvillage.

    MetuOutreachCentre

    MetuCentre

    Asyoucanseehere,ournewCentreatMetuisnearingcompletionandwillsoonbeacceptingpatients.

    UKNews:

    BarefootWalkforCharity: June9th,10th,11th,12th 2010

    Afterwatchingthedocumentaryfilm,AWalktoBeautiful

    KalanthaBrewiswas somovedby theplightof the fistula

    patients that shedecided towalk 35milesbarefoot from

    EckingtontotheWomensHospital inBirminghamtohelp

    raise awareness of the young women who have suffered

    horrendous childbirth injuries. Kalantha said that to show

    howappreciativesheisofthewonderfulmidwiferycareour

    womenin

    the

    UK

    receive,

    thus

    preventing

    these

    injuries,

    she

    isembarkingonthisbarefootwalkhopingtoraisefundsto

    enablemorewomeninEthiopiatobetreated.

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    Placesshewillbecallingatenroute:

    Eckingtonwherethewalkbegins

    Pershore

    Inkberrow

    Redditch

    Alvechurch

    KingsNorton beforefinallyreachingthe

    BirminghamWomensHospital,

    afittingendforthewalk.

    YoucangiveadonationtosupportKalanthabysendingachequeto

    HamlinFistulaUKordonatethroughJustGiving,theirwebsiteis

    www.justgiving.com/walkingbarefoot

    Pleasenoteournewofficeaddressandtelephoneno:

    HamlinFistulaUK

    4ParadeBuildings

    NimmingsRoad

    Halesowen

    WestMidlands

    B629JJ

    Telephone

    no

    :

    0121

    559

    3999

    http://www.justgiving.com/walkingbarefoothttp://www.justgiving.com/walkingbarefoot

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