Here in Kyangwali refugee settlement in western Uganda, Dr. Suzanne has been busy teaching the Butterfly Ultrasound to local midwives. In this vast settlement with approximately 130,000 Congolese refugees and no hospitals, Suzanne has been going to rural and crowded clinics where up until now, the midwives have had no imaging capabilities. After a few days of training and when a midwife would learn the skill of finding and counting the fetal heart rate, there would be cheering, fist bumps, hugs, and sometimes even jumping for joy. To say the midwives were ecstatic would be an understatement. The pregnant Congolese women would look on with amusement as to why there was such excitement. Up until now, these hard working Ugandan midwives have been using ancient methods.
With no electricity and training extending into late afternoon, the midwives would pray to their respective gods to let the ultrasound and iPads keep enough power to see all of their patients. These midwives now feel empowered and are eager to learn more about this ultrasound once they become proficient in these basic skills.
Kyangwali refugee settlement is not an easy place to be. These midwives work in difficult surroundings with little supplies and even less pay. They also literally help people out, and for the tens of thousand desperate Congolese women, they really deliver:)
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