With the challenges of the COVID-19 lockdown and women in remote villages being unable to reach healthcare facilities, it was vital that home birthing kits were delivered to pregnant women who may not be able to visit a hospital for childbirth.
Dr Sadia Malick has been in constant consultation with government bodies in efforts to reduce maternal infant moralities. Now she has succeeded in developing a Home Birthing Kit for the convenience and safe delivery of mothers at their own homes by lady health workers and dais. The MDMI Women’s Health clinic was not operational during the pandemic as the facility had been converted into an Isolation Facility to accommodate COVID-19 patients, with MDMI being a dedicated facility to help the AJK government during the challenging time. It was decided that MDMI would utilise the help of community workers to inform them and get a list of pregnant women who may utilise this kit for safe deliveries at home.
MDMI joined hands with the MABIN foundation in consultation with Dr Sadia Malick for the handing out of these home birthing kits. Midland Doctors® began the community distribution of the clean birthing kits with the help of our staff Dr. Shabnam Shehzadi, community worker and lady health workers. Precautions were taken to ensure safety of staff and health workers and to ensure best results by explaining the importance of hygiene and care in the process of child birth at home during the challenging time of lockdown.
It was understood that the lockdown would pose a challenge for the ladies in remote villages as they would be unable to approach the hospital for check-up or childbirth. Hence, MDMI in cooperation with the MABIN foundation worked towards creating awareness of a healthy, happy child birth at home with the help of these sanitized kits. The kits included all the necessary materials that may be required for child birth at home under the supervision of a dai or a lady health worker. MDMI took all precautions to prevent any contact during this process to ensure safety of pregnant women, staff and health workers from risk of the COVID-19.
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