The village has a population of roughly 3,000. On average, 80 mothers give birth here each year; relying on the local health clinic for all of their prenatal and postnatal care. The Health Clinic is a well-stocked facility with six staff members who also provide care and education in areas such as pediatrics, minor surgery, diagnosis and treatment for infectious diseases and routine check-ups. Unfortunately the nurses are unable to perform deliveries due to the incomplete state of the clinic’s maternity ward. The ward is unfit for delivery without a proper room divider, sink, and waste disposal pit.
Deliveries, therefore, must be performed at home or at the main hospital in town. This leaves mothers with a difficult decision of whether to give birth at home, which is risky in some instances, or travel to town for a proper facility. About 60 mothers a year choose to deliver in town. Traveling to town for the delivery often times means the mother leaving home for one to two months, putting financial and emotional stress on the family. It is for this reason we wish to bring quality care to the community.
With well-qualified staff, and the necessary equipment in place, the clinic stands ready to begin deliveries upon installation of the room divider and sink, and construction of the waste disposal pit. It is the goal of this project to finish this construction and provide the women and families of the community the option of a safe, in-clinic delivery without the burden of travel. The community has pledged $188.60 in raw materials toward the project and is requesting of the Peace Corps Partnership Program $364.03 to bring this project to completion.
