Sierra Leone: The Ministry of Health and Sanitation together with its partners in 2020 supported final year student midwives, to carryout outreach activities in No.2 and Hamilton Communities.
The outreach of health services in various communities, is part of the National School of Midwifery’s every year activity, to encourage the students get a feel of practical work on the field, before graduation.
Together with tutors, the students provided the two communities with extra antenatal and reproductive services, to pregnant women, lactating mothers and under five children. No.2 and Hamilton is part of the Western area peninsula about 13 miles out of Freetown that is fastly expanding from small fishing villages, to becoming sub-urban communities, but still with limited social services.
During the two day outreach pregnant women and lactating mothers came out in their numbers from all corners to receive free medical attention. Over 100 women and under five children were registered and it all started with a health talk from the various tutors in different areas of reproductive and antenatal health including the importance of taking babies for all recommended immunization, encouraging the women including some husbands who accompanied their spouse. They were advised to seek early antenatal services as soon as they are pregnant and not to wait at home, before it’s too late.
Few months after the outreach intervention, Awoko visited the two communities and the In-Charge at the Hamilton health facility, Elizabeth Dakowa explained that indeed many ailments were picked up during the community intervention service and this is as a result of most of the women refusing to visit a health facility, despite the ongoing free health care program, but was pleased to inform that the women now make use of the facility on a daily basis and noted that teenage pregnancy rate has dropped since that time. She added that the rate of antenatal visits has also increased, but urged that the facility receive its stock on a timely basis including the perimeter fence, which needs attention.
The two local authorities told Awoko that the two days was not enough for the outreach service, but commended student midwives for demonstrating commitment and care to duty, in order to reduce the maternity figures in the country. The two men added that the public education on the need for antenatal visits and nutritional foods during and after pregnancy has further opened the eyes of women with regards their personal hygiene and health.
Mariama Conteh who had a two-year-old malnourished son during the intervention was happy to show off young Mohamed who has grown healthy and strong as a result of what she learnt – to make simple foods that are highly nutritious, without spending much money. She is two months pregnant, and pays regular antenatal visits, noting that both she and her baby are doing fine. The issue of signs and symptoms of common illnesses was part of the health talk delivered last year during the outreach to the two communities, and most of the attendees learnt how to administer quick response, before accessing a health facility.