Rant alert!!!
I am vexing and I want to vent my vex but before I do let me
share a fun fact;
MMR(NIGERIA, 2015)-814/100,000 (WHO REPORT)
Wondering what that gibberish means? That is the maternal
mortality rate (MMR) for Nigeria for the year 2015. It basically means that in
100,000 live births, we are sure to have 814 women die from issues ranging from
poorly managed complications to self-inflicted complications. And you see,
numbers like this are way too much by world standards. 814 women should not die
giving birth. It is heart breaking. Simple. And we must bring this number down
to the barest minimum.
You see, I keep talking about the self inflicted
complications but people don’t seem to understand where I am coming from. My
focus in this rant is on one major contributing factor to this number I have
mentioned- I MUST “BORN” LIKE HEBREW WOMEN or what I call the HEBREW WOMEN
PHENOMENON.
What does this phenomenon connote? Hm. I will start with a
story. You see, while I was interning in one of the teaching hospitals in South
eastern Nigeria, I came across all sorts of very funny characters- patients and
health professionals alike but some patients do take the cake.
Nkiru(not real name) was one of such funny individuals. You see,
Nkiru has been married for about half a decade without a child. Now, in this
part of the world where I lived, it was unheard of that her husband has not
married a son-giving woman since the second year of that marriage but Nkiru’s
husband, Stanley(not real name) stuck by her and supported her through the many
ordeals she went through. This led them to a new generation church and by some
stroke of fate, Nkiru fell pregnant eventually. I don’t know if she was paying
attention during her ante natal classes but the Man of God in her church had
impressed it on them that certain things were a no no for ‘children of God’ who
were to give birth. Things like Caesarean Section, any form of assistance
during childbirth. Apparently, something to look forward to was delivering like
“Hebrew women” which meant, delivering without any form of medical assistance
or intervention.
Well, Nkiru was having this ‘miracle’ baby boy and on her
delivery date I was on call in the blood bank. Baby was presenting with his
buttocks instead of his head which requires medical intervention-CS. It was
suggested to her but guess what? She staunchly refused. The God of XYZ will not
let the devil succeed in robbing her of the chance to deliver like Hebrew
women. By the time I got involved, she had had a bad tear in her uterus and the
baby was distressed. Stanley had eventually signed consent for an emergency CS.
Well, I did my job which was to get blood across to the theatre and the surgery
was done. Baby was born but Nkiru lost her womb in the process. Thank goodness
she did not die. It would have been tragic and would have affected our MMR.
Lesson? I always tell whoever cares to listen that delivery
a la Hebrew Women is just making sure that both mother and baby come out of the
delivery room with little or no complications or death on either side.
Apparently, religious houses and some unscrupulous elements think medical
intervention during delivery is a taboo. Jesus, take the wheel!!!
I advise strongly that every time your pregnancy test reads
positive, after congratulating yourself or got over the shock, kindly find
yourself in the nearest good hospital and register for proper antenatal care.
Prayers are good but in all getting, get wisdom and apply accordingly.
Never say I didn’t do something nice for you...
- Your Friendly Health Worker.
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