Maternal Health: Our call, Our responsibility
As a doctor, you’re often aware
of your loved ones’ health risks before they experience them, and in that
moment, you almost resent your medical knowledge. You know when a fever could
be a sign of malaria. You know when a cough could be a sign of tuberculosis.
You know when a lesion could be a sign of HIV or cancer.
So when my sister presented with high
blood pressure toward the end of her pregnancy six years ago, and began to
suffer convulsive episodes, I knew there was a high likelihood of childbirth
complications, and that both her and her baby’s lives were at risk if she
didn’t receive the appropriate care. Thank God, she was in good hands. Her doctor
immediately indicated for emergency surgery, which allowed the clinical team to
manage her condition and deliver her baby safely.I am pleased to report thatmy
niece ImanKissah is a vibrant and jovial six-year-old girl, and my sister is
healthy as can be.
Thisoutcome was made possible
because of access to timely surgical and anesthesia care, which has a crucial
role to play in ensuring that Tanzania’s women can have safe, healthy
childbirths. And today, International Women’s Day, is an important occasion to
remember this lifesaving medical intervention.
It is estimated that a Tanzanian woman
dies during pregnancy or childbirth nearly every hour,
which means that on this day alone, more than 20 families will suffer the loss
of their most cherished member. On top of this sobering fact, many more women
will experience a debilitating childbirth injury like obstetric fistula, which
can lead to a life of pain and social exclusion. This reality – that a woman
could die or nearly die while bringing life into this world – is unacceptable.
That is why we must continue to
invest in strengthening and expanding surgical and anesthesia care throughout
Tanzania.
Among the leading causes of maternal
mortality in Tanzania are excessive bleeding and obstructed labor, the latter of which is
also the primary cause of fistula. While these conditionscan often be prevented
before they become dangerous – through improved antenatal care, better linkages
to health facilities, community health services and the like – they could also
be dramatically reduced with high-quality, easily-accessible surgical and
anesthesia care, particularly Cesarean sections and blood product services.
The challenge, however, is that
surgical and anesthesia care is a complicated practice. It requires reliable
infrastructure, medical equipment, drugs and supplies, which are often lackingin
developing countries like ours. It requires a specialized workforce made up of
doctors and nurses who are trained in carrying out intricate, high-risk procedures
with no room for error. And it requires a health system that is far-reaching
yet seamlessly connected, so surgical services are available wherever the
patient is located, or within a short distance for a referral.
In my experience as a one of 22
anesthesiologists in Tanzania, I’ve seen firsthand how rare this combination of
factors can be, especially in many of our rural communities. Some health
experts cite a high cost for providing surgery and anesthesia at the district
level, yet I believe it is actually one of the most rewarding investments we
can make. A recent study
estimated that providing one surgical intervention – Cesarean section – to
treat Tanzanian women with obstructed labor would cost just over TZS 9 billion,
while the overall economic benefit would exceed TZS 27 billion. Countless other studiesalso
point to major social and economic returns on investments in surgery and
anesthesia.
For this reason, my colleagues
and I at the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderlyand
Children have prioritized surgery as a way of reducing maternal mortality under
our Health Sector Strategic Plan
IV. Our goal is to ensure that – no matter where a woman lives – she
will be within a short distance from the surgical and anesthesia care she needs
in the event of an emergency. In other words, our goal is to ensure that all
Tanzanian women receive the same treatment that kept my sister and niece alive
six years ago.
It is a heartbreaking reality to
think of a child’s life without a mother, a husband’s life without a wife, a
grandparent’s life without a daughter, yet it is commonplace in parts of the
country where healthcare services are few and far between.
On International Women’s Day, it
is incumbent upon those of us in the medical community to do whatever we can to
safeguard women’s health and wellbeing at all times, but most of all, at the
time when they so bravely bring life into this world.
Post a Comment