by Kim Mcquoid
I returned to Bangladesh for the second time January 24, 2020. Because the Coronavirus pandemic, I left Bangladesh two and half weeks prematurely. I was placed in Cox's Bizaar in the Hope Hospital for Women and fistula repair. I was to mentor the Bangladeshi midwives at the hospital, help with projects that two other midwives from the states were working on, and evaluate the midwifery program at the Cox's Bazaar hospital and come up with recommendations. Hope also has a field hospital in the Rohingya refugee camp, seven reproductive health clinics within the camps and seven birth centers in Bangladesh outside the refugee camp.
The birth centers did not have magnesium sulfate available to handle preeclampsia with severe features or with eclampsia. During my first week, we were able to get together nine midwives from the birth centers together. I spent the day teaching preeclampsia/eclampsia. Intermixed with Using the Jhpiego flip charts I intermixed critical thinking exercises in why we use magnesium sulfate and the effects of preeclampsia has on both mother and baby. I did additional training on this topic in the field hospital and the hospital in Cox's Bazaar.
Though I did not have Mama Natalie with me, I had the flip chart and was able to a good review of active management of the third stage of labor at both hospitals. Refresher course on HBB and building on to this was critical thinking skills in assessing a sick or compromise baby. This was a lot of fun and the midwives were very engaged.
During this time period, I traveled south to Bangalore, India. The Birth Home, Midwifery Care and Birth Center opened the first Bangalore birth center. I spent 5 days there. During this time, I taught HBB, preeclampsia/eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage and reviewed their policies and procedures. The women here truly give compassionate respectful care and support normal physiological care to the women in this city.
I truly feel blessed with the time I had in these two countries. I cherish the time I spend with new mothers with breast feeding issues and all the committed Bangladeshi midwives. I feel that they gave me more than I gave.