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With humanized childbirth, the services, which were the weak link in the health
care system, have been considerably improved.
Providing comfort to
laboring mothers
For the Gaspard Camara health
centers gynecologist: when a woman
wants to give birth on the floor, for
example, there are mattresses
available.
No Work Overload
Health care providers supporting the mothers feared that they would be overloaded
with work. That was the first thing we were afraid of, said Dr. Ndye Awa Diagne,
gynecologist. But this method, which focuses on the community is made specifically so
that the midwife can perform other tasks, while the mothers are being assisted by a
relative, as if they were in her own home. The provider only checks in from time to time
to reexamine her, she says.
A
Providers receive training in
behavioral change.
Implementing humanized childbirths
was not easy, recognizes Dr Ndye
Maguette Ndiaye , Surgeon General
of Dakars Central Health District.
We had to rearrange our rooms in
order to make more space she says.
Training our personnel was a whole
other story. Because the training had
to lead to a behavioral change. Thats
not an easy thing to do she
explained. Ndye Awa Diagne,
gynecologist adds:
in basic training healthcare providers would only see birthing tables. So if they
accept this method, then it can easily be implemented.
Deputy Surgeon General, Dr Rokhaya Sy, thinks that many of the training
sessions were successful. They had qualified, and non-qualified personnel,
as well as Badianou Gokh or neighborhood godmothers. These women are
respected leaders in their local communities. In that capacity, they help
women g o t o t h e i r p r e n a t a l v i s i t s , d e l i v e r i n s a n i t a r y
conditions, vaccinate their babies, and promote
contraception through birth spacing, which are all actions
that benefit families as well as the entire community. This is
why they are
chosen to assist in humanized childbirths: to help raise awareness and help this
method of freestyle childbirth be accepted by everyone, everywhere.