In the month of December 9 babies were enrolled (including 4 orphans, 1 baby of a mother with tuberculosis, a set of triplets, and one small baby of a mom not producing breast milk). Two postpartum women were admitted, both with severe infections and anemia. Nurses made a total of 190 visits and are currently care for 227 women and babies.
Baby Admission Story. Twenty year old Loveness delivered a small but healthy baby girl on August 22nd. Everything went well. Both mom and baby were stable and they were quickly discharged home. Loveness had a mild cough which worsened over the following weeks. Loveness returned to the hospital several weeks later and she was treated for pneumonia and sent home. The antibiotics did nothing to improve her health. Her body convulsed with each cough, she lost weight and fevers tormented her at night. At the end of November Loveness was admitted for tuberculosis. At this point she was emaciated and no longer producing breast milk. Nurses on the TB ward referred the family and baby to Chimwemwe mu’bereki.
Mother Admission Story. Despite two normal previous births, Marriam’s third labor was difficult and after many hours her baby boy was delivered by C-section. Mom and baby went home within a few days but once home she started to experience worsening pain, swelling in her abdomen and was unable to urinate. An infection raged inside her and reached the point that Marriam became disoriented, unable to recognize even the familiar faces around her. Her family returned with her to the hospital where her abdomen was reopened and treatment was started for peritonitis. While in hospital her improvement was slow and at the time of discharge Marriam remained weak. Joyful Motherhood nurses will continue to follow Marriam as she convalesces.
