Hospital in Sikonge succeeds recording zero maternal death

KITUNDA Health Centre in Sikonge District has recorded zero maternal-related deaths from January this year to date compared to about 12 (deaths) it registered annually in the previous years.

The success has come after the government in collaboration with stakeholders embarked on a-five year ‘USAID Afya Yangu-RMNCAH’ project, since January, which provides among others, technical support to health officers, to enable them provide advanced health services to expectant mothers.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored project, at a tune of US 66.8 million US dollars, is for reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health issues.

It supports the governments of Tanzania and Zanzibar to increase use of demand for and access to quality integrated services.

According to Kitunda Health Centre Acting Doctor In-Charge, Dr Faudh Bakari, the project trained the staff on especially performing specialized birth delivery surgeries, provision of both antenatal and postnatal care services as well as taking care of premature newborns.

“Historically, Caesareans operations were introduced in 2019, but performed at very minimal level due to lack of experts. Thus, majority of expectant mothers were referred to Sikonge District hospital, over 200 kilometres  from here.

“Now, experts including anaesthesiologists are available here, serving about 70 expectants in a week. We perform between five and seven Caesareans operations in a week,” he said yesterday.

Lab technicians are also in place for emergency tests to expectants, like identification of one’s blood group and the amount, as well as the blood group that fits the needy.

Again, he added, the newly introduced Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) facility is operational, to fight maternal deaths.

“Maintaining zero maternal deaths will continue to be our utmost priority, as long as all necessary facilities are here,” he pointed out.

The government keeps on setting the services closer to the general Kitunda Ward community and beyond, with such the health Centre serving over 400 patients, a month.

The Daily News visited the KMC facility, found at-least three pre-matures in, with their mothers expressing the gratitude to the government and stakeholders who made it.

The mother, whose new-born came out last week with 1.2 kilogramme weight, Ms Edita Isaya, affirmed the efficiency of the facility, as the baby is on good development, reached at-least 1.6 kilogramme.

Apart from Kangaroo type of parenting, the mothers in the facility have been taught on how best to feed the newborns, whose milking capacity is still far down, she said.

“We strictly adhere to directives for our newborns to gain the standard weight, at-least 1.8 kilogrammes, so that we can be discharged,” she said.