Mothers of Ethiopia Part I: Zemzem's Journey

Mark Leon Goldberg - September 30, 2009 - 4:26 pm

Hanna Ingber Win is Huffington Post's World Editor. She was recently invited by the UN Population Fund to visit its maternal health programs in Ethiopia, which has one of the world's worst health care systems. In the U.S., a woman has a 1 in 4,800 chance of dying from complications due to pregnancy or childbirth in her lifetime. In Ethiopia, a woman has a 1 in 27 chance of dying. 

 This is the first in a five-part series on what she learned on her trip. Go to the original post for powerful photographs from the trip. 

JIMMA, Ethiopia -- When Zemzem Moustafa went into labor with her fifth child - at age 30 - she could sense a problem. Living in a thatched-roof hut in Ilebabo, a rural village in western Ethiopia, she and her husband walked to the local health post. A health extension worker there could tell that the baby was in the wrong position, but the worker could not help Zemzem and referred her to the hospital. And so Zemzem's journey began, one that ends in tragedy for thousands of women in Ethiopia each year.

She and her husband, a poor farmer, collected 50 birr (US$4) from their neighbors for the trip to a hospital in Jimma, the closest big town. Leaving at around 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, they walked through the fields for an hour until they arrived at a road. Standing at the side of the road, they hailed a rickety old minibus packed with other villagers.

August is the rainy season in western Ethiopia and the minibus got stuck in the mud. Zemzem, whose contractions became more and more intense, spent the night on the side of the road with her husband and the other passengers. The next morning the men freed the minibus from the mud and the trip continued.

Zemzem and her husband reached Jimma at noon on Saturday, a full 20 hours after the trip began. They drove down the dirt road that runs through the center of the town, past the young boys herding sheep, the donkeys with bushels of hay strapped to their backs and the women sitting on the side of the road selling vegetables.

By the time Zemzem arrived at Jimma Referral Hospital, her uterus had partially ruptured as a result of the prolonged labor. A gyno/obs resident and a health officer operated on her immediately, and they successfully saved the lives of Zemzem and her baby.

"If she [had been delayed] two or three hours more, the baby - and even the mother - would have lost her life," Dr. Chuchu Girma, a surgeon and the clinical director of the hospital, tells me as we chat with Zemzem in the maternity ward.

Maternal health specialists say that there are three ways in which necessary treatment is delayed: when the mother or family first decides to seek appropriate medical care for an obstetric emergency, as the family tries to take the woman to a hospital and faces transportation impediments and once the woman reaches the health institution and faces setbacks in being admitted and getting medical attention.

I am visiting the Jimma Referral Hospital as part of a trip sponsored by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which provides support for the government's program to train non-physician clinicians to perform procedures, such as obstetric surgery, traditionally performed by doctors. The health officer who operated on Zemzem is being trained to become one of these non-physician clinicians.

Zemzem is lying on an old metal bed with the paint chipping off, under a heavy blanket that looks itchy and dirty. A used surgeon's glove is tied to the bedpost. The sheet has fallen down, exposing a thin plastic mattress.

When I enter the maternity ward at Jimma Hospital, the stench practically smacks me in the face. The smell, a combination of urine and feces and other bodily fluids, overpowers all my other senses.

Each room along the maternity ward has a sign posted above the door in English and Oromiffa, the local language: "Labor Room", "High Risk Room", "Delivery Room". Zemzem stays in "Septic Room." The Septic Room houses women who have had pregnancy complications like ruptured uteri and fistulas that involve extra discharge.

When Dr. Chuchu and I enter the Septic Room, Zemzem is lying flat on the bed with her baby under the blanket. I ask about the baby, and Zemzem's face lights up. She pulls the blanket back to reveal her newborn. I ask if the baby is a girl or a boy, and Zemzem, saying he is a boy, smiles and laughs.

"They are very happy when they get men," Dr. Chuchu says to me.

Zemzem has remained at the hospital for three weeks because she has an infection. Dr. Chuchu lifts up Zemzem's gown to reveal a large white bandage from the surgery.

Her husband has returned to her village to take care of the other four children, a medical intern says, translating Zemzem's answers in Oromiffa, the local language, into the national language, Amharic, for Dr. Chuchu, who translates into English for me.

Some girls in Ethiopia get married as young as 10 or 11, Dr. Chuchu says, and they then get pregnant before their bodies fully develop. This increases the likelihood that they will have obstructed labor. A ruptured uterus is a very simple, manageable problem, he says. But the girls or young women, living in rural villages, usually give birth at home and lack access to a health professional during delivery -- like 94 percent of Ethiopian mothers.

Without help during delivery and without surgery and a blood transfusion if the mother's uterus ruptures, the girl or woman often dies. In the United States, eight women die during childbirth for every 100,000 live births, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). In Ethiopia, 673 women die, making the maternal mortality rate 84 times higher. UNFPA considers every single maternal death preventable.

Zemzem's other children range in age from 2 to 12, the intern translates as he gently pulls down her gown to cover up her back.

I bring out my camera, and Zemzem smiles glowingly at her new son.

No one else in the "Septic Room" can empathize with Zemzem's joy. The other three patients all had fully ruptured uteri and lost their babies.

Dr. Chuchu and I stand next the bed of another patient. The blanket engulfs her tiny body, so small it looks like it belongs to a child. An intravenous drip stands next to the bed, pumping antibiotics into the young woman. Dr. Chuchu looks at her chart -- she has lost almost two-thirds of her blood during her operation and now waits for a blood transfusion. He pulls down one of her lower eyelids. The entire eye is white, not a trace of red veins.

"This is a case [where the mother] usually dies," Dr. Chuchu says. If she had been at a rural health post or health center, she would not have had access to a surgeon or to equipment necessary for a blood transfusion.

The woman looks so vulnerable that I whisper in Dr. Chuchu's ear, asking if he thinks she will make it. Yes, she will survive, he says. She will get blood here.

Dr. Chuchu asks the patient where she comes from, but she is too weak to answer. He looks at her chart. She comes from Gatera, 112 kilometers from Jimma. She is 22 years old and has been pregnant four times. This is the third child she has lost. When she arrived at the hospital, her uterus had already ruptured. She therefore lost the baby and had to have her uterus removed.

If she is Muslim, her husband will take another wife to have more children, Dr. Chuchu tells me. He checks her chart. "Oh, she's Muslim," he says. "He will definitely have another wife."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1) Subscribe to these comments

Devid @ Mar 18th 2010 8:10AM

Excellent post.This was actually what I was looking for, and I am glad that I finally came here! This for sharing and keep up the good work…
ucvhost | cheap vps | ucvhost

REPLY »

Visitor @ Mar 17th 2010 8:27AM

Finally I think this is great post and awesome. You must create another incredible post then. I had searched and I found this groovy post. Thx. Online degrees AND Degree Program AND online doctorate degrees

REPLY »

Visitor @ Mar 17th 2010 8:27AM

I think he should have reacted to this. He is so right about all of this. Something needs to be done. Online Diploma AND graduate diploma

REPLY »

maskem @ Mar 12th 2010 2:19PM

Thank you very much for comments. I stainless steel industry

Paslanmaz
Subject to our customers the most valuable in catia you are satisfied because of superior service, our company vermekden, Metal industry professional bi bi Krom Korkuluk as many projects are finished without error but the work behind Yapdığın years to pass despite durmakdadır. Lama with our range of stainless steel safety rails ladder Cubuklu planting, planting pipe, profiles of vertical and bi very practical in this regard we consider our options in Your principle to move towards open-minded and enlightened future yansıtmakdayız your light.Paslanmaz Celik

The present floor of the glass barrier in the world of the aesthetic, continuous self-improvement and innovation company that is open to the samples as we have seen, as do professional staff that work with the received error-free delivery etmekdedir. Coordination with the Merdiven Korkuluk Modelleri customer about the need Stainless Glass catia work required during the assembly process and push all the problems that may arise in the whole effort to overcome göstermekdedir. Respect for customers and orders you to their specific requirements to deliver on the day çalışmakdayız.

Plexiglass Acrylic Material has been applied to our stairs to see the stylish is that we all dream of.
As a company we all take our responsibility as the top steel metal material into the plexi acrylic material that we modern-plexi catia sunuyoruz Paslanmaz Celik. Paslanmaz customers now prefer the bi-wing intellectuals are too. Let us introduce these products worldwide sizlerlede point to the potential increase of the feedback sizlerinde let your thoughts keep in mind this oluşumcu imported materials designed to let its elegance.

take our responsibility as the top Camlı Korkuluk Coordination with the customer about the need Stainless Glass catia work required dur

Yellow Rengdeki bi (rice material) Barriers to the stairs modern stairs with plexi acrylic material to be in want. Metal mining sector this material very interested in Pleksi Korkulukdeveloping technology and growth duyulmuştur.Pirinç-plexi korklukları stairs within our countries the most preferred product is a yellow brass material

Decision on the subject for years for corruption to guarantee Paslanmaz Çelik Küpeşte that we have given guarantees to satisfy our valuable customers in the context of all our efforts göstermekdeyiz.

Bölümdelerde kullanılmakdadır. Self-protection materials and equipment for your bright outside, and a protective varnish ready for assembly as Paslanmaz Metal installed after being brought bi edilmekdedir condition.

French Balcony how often do in the construction sector Paslanmaz celik as both the visual elegance of the building on my floor, but he kulan through the years in terms of corruption against any decision

to be resistant to the stainless steel balcony Paslanmaz Korkuluk railings with çeşitlü alternative sizlerleyiz.Umarım to give you the right kaaraı have not be late.

Largest known in the sense of pleasure as you enjoy one of our Luxury Apartments to our terrace to sit in our seyretmekdir our landscape. You also need a family with children in terms of
Pleksi Merdiven
security and life safety at the forefront If we should keep. In our company we have made metal decorative terrace balustrade with stainless steel and modern terraced and add beauty to you

rails and accessories, our products and Yatak Başlıkları our company Protections Services Visit vermekdedir.Sitemizi Thank you very much for you.

The Brass Bed Products, Water Pump, plexi Pump, Pirinç Yatak Başlıkları Brass Bar ayaklıklıgı, avizeler.Sarı Stairs design, bar glasses Emirates, Sehba models, luggage transport, rice custom design

Turkish Dublaj Filmler dvdrip film Foreign Film at Amazon movies
I like sprinkler Income / I Co ...
Kana Susadım - Jennifer

Kadir İnan Türkçe Dublaj Film (Kota Friendly)
Forum Topics Posts Last Post
Turkish Dublaj Mp4 Movies

Yabancı Mp4 Filmler Türkçe Film izle Kota Friendly rights?
Mp4 Yerli Filmler (Kota Friendly)

Our company with an experienced team to give Oto Kiralama satisfaction is our first great work of our staff, we have entered into. Rent a car and our team our capacity for BMW hire, Mercedes hire, Esenboga Airport transfer, rent a audi in areas such as genişlettik.Müşterilerimizin demands and expectations of oto kiralama ankara our work in accordance with the shape, happy to make a goal to make focused.
Now we have to make it easier
havaalanı transfer to rent a car in Ankara.

Ankara will also rent a car the person or persons to secure the tools Ankara Oto Kiralama they can rent. Whether you rent bmw, audi if you want to rent only, as in every industry we have in our conditions, they are,
araba kiralama at least 1-year license and 23-year-old owner, trade group, at least 4 years Experience otolardan have to hire the person or persons

Your ears will no longer everywhere
Spy phone software is not a system that is installed remotely. I just want to listen to know the number of people that do not allow you to listen to people. casus telefon Spy phone software you want to listen to the person's phone, the phone will need to install manually so remote installation is impossible.

travesti olgan about life
"Hello, Olga 4 months before I was using the name ELÇİN.
But everywhere because of imitations and
travesti extensions, unfortunately, is uncomfortable for ELÇİN ismininde extension that I changed my name as Olga, Olga uzantılarıda hopefully soon:)
1.83 m tall and 66 pounds originally born 26/06/1980 sivas long years ankara rent a car of my life but I have to pass for izmirde I see myself as izmirli. In 2000, Ankara had come to say hello to me in my life I have been Shemales.

here

Forbes Turkey's, "The Rich 100 Turkish" list Hosni Özyeğin,chat siteleri with $ 3 billion fortune "richest Turkey" reputation, while in second place in the list, Mehmet Emin Karamehmet 2.9 billion dollars, the third order Sarik Tara with 2.6 billion dollars in assets received.

EN RICH TURKISH ÖZYEĞİN
Forbes Turkey's, "The Rich 100 Turkish" list,adanalı according to the information given at the meeting to explain that, Hüsnü Özyeğin with $ 3 billion fortune "The Rich Turkey" retains the title. In

second place with a fortune worth chat siteleri$ 2.9 billion Mehmet Emin Karamehmet located, while the Sarik Tara, 4.1 billion dollars in 2008 even if the wealth is in the remote is in third place with 2.6 billion dollars.

Husnu Ozyegin, Turkey's richest ever be a maximum capacity chat siteleri of the domain name while the last 2 years its place in the top of the list is protected. Mehmet Emin Karamehmet with its shares in Turkcell Holding and Çukurova is Turkey's second richest person in the position is.

Sarik Tara, in 2009 it had yetenek sizsiniz lost $ 2.5 billion to 1 billion dollars to replace, was ranked third in the list.

"The Rich 100 Turkish" total wealth, fame this algülümyear was 87 billion dollars. This figure is the last one year, $ 31 billion was added to the wealth and total wealth increased 55 percent compared to previous year's shows

Last year "The Rich 100 Turkish" reputation compared to 2008 belgesel total assets of almost half the value, 111 billion dollars had fallen to 56 billion dollars, 36 dollar billionaires in the back and had 13 people between them or the coach carrying the surname Sabanci was no one.

This year, three of the Koç family individual Semahat dizizamani Arsel, Rahmi Koç and Suna Kıraç's "league of billionaire" ndeki back into place. Sevket Sabanci, Ahsen Özokur, Aydın Doğan, Deniz Sahenk, Erman Ilıcak, Faruk Eczacıbaşı and Turgay Ciner "billionaires league" nde took part.

THE FIRST TIME TO LIST billionaire SUZAN SABANCI DİNÇER INPUT
This year, carrying 28 units billionaire surname in 3 coach, Sabanci has sevgikafe 2 people carrying the surname. Sabanci family's total wealth of 13 individual 10.3 billion dollars, while a total of 8 members of the Koç family wealth 7.1 billion dollars.

Last year "billionaires league" What bid farewell this year that 12 people in addition to the list of Mustafa Latif Topbaş, Mehmet Basaran Rushdie and Suzan Sabanci, when attached to Turkey's number of dollar billionaires has reached to 28. Suzan Sabancı Dinçer filmizle the list of billionaires for the first time as input and 26 takes place.

This year "The Rich 100 Turkish" klipizle among 12 new names taking part, 4 returned to their contact list. Among the new printer list Tuba, Kazim Türker, Mehmet Avni Kiğılı is located.

TWO NEW billionaire VAR
Forbes 100 for the first time this year,canlıdiziizle "billionaire" title the two names, Habash, Chairman and BIM Chairman Basaran Mehmet Rustu Mustafa Latif was Topbaş.

REPLY »

Visitor @ Mar 7th 2010 6:05AM

armut minder
güvercin
is ilanlari
metal gruplari
semsiye
sezlong
sandalye
armut koltuk
cam balkon
video izle
bean bags
ogretmen
izle
video tube
antalya airport transfer

REPLY »

Add Your Comments
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image. Ignore spaces and be careful about upper and lower case.
  • Related Sites
  • UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATIONS
  • UN WIRE
  • Join Us On
  • t
  • f