Earlier this month a team of three of Maternity Africa’s midwives were welcomed to a large local factory to conduct a sexual and reproductive health outreach event for its staff. That first visit was so successful that a subsequent visit to the factory yesterday was almost overwhelming in terms of the number of people seeking advice and assistance.
Recognising the importance of such events and seeking to serve its workers in this way, the factory staff were very welcoming, helpful and provided a large room in which the team from Maternity Africa could set up an appropriate clinic. Successes include:
- Many women, both pregnant and not pregnant, were provided with health education and advice on gynaecological matters;
- Unexpectedly, men also came forward for advice and treatment;
- Preventing Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) testing was offered to all attendees;
- Attendees were able to receive family planning treatment straight away if they wanted;
- Pregnant women could commence antenatal care immediately;
- Testing of blood and urine samples could take place on-site, with samples also returned to Kivulini Maternity Centre;
- Standalone HIV testing was available for both men and women;
- Provision was made for people attending who are HIV positive to stock up on antiretroviral medication;
- Women who were found to have anaemia could obtain dietary advice and iron folic acid supplements;
- Women were also able to be treated with antiworm medication; and
- Following these first visits, Maternity Africa expects to continue to see many more women, men and babies for vaccinations at subsequent visits.
Maternity Africa is grateful to the local factory for facilitating these outreach events, and to its own staff who demonstrated excellent teamwork in making it all happen!
If you would like to assist Maternity Africa with its work, including its community outreach programme, please follow this link. Thank you.