Pregnant women on the way to the hospital often reach their destination on the back of a bicycle, or in the back of an ox cart. It is not unusual in third world nations, and Malawi is no exception. In mountainous parts of the nation the problem is compounded because of limited access to the remote village areas.
This situation is true in the southern part of Malawi where some of the highest mountains in the region are located. For the Namikango Maternity Hospital in Thondwe this problem is ever present, and the calls for help in an emergency often cannot be quickly met because of the terrain.
To help with this problem the Malawi Project has purchased another Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) that will serve as an ambulance. These units are manufactured in Indianapolis, Indiana, and two have already been delivered to the central region of Malawi. The basic utility vehicle is custom made to accommodate a seriously ill or pregnant patient and a caretaker. It can reach a remote area and bring the patient to a medical facility in a timely fashion.
Mark Thiesen, Director for the Namikango Mission, when presented with the idea and specifications for the until, observed, “This vehicle is ideal for moving quickly over village trails to remote locations to quickly bring expectant mothers to the maternity clinic. We are delivering 75 – 80 babies a month, and almost without exception they are coming from isolated rural areas where no other type of vehicle can reach. Women do not begin the journey, a trip that can be a number of kilometers away, until they are already in labor.”
Suzi Stephens, the Medical Director for the Malawi Project states, “Statistics have indicated a mother-baby mortality rate that is sometimes recorded as high as 1 in 7, which qualifies this region as having one of the highest in the world. This unit can help reduce the number of infant deaths at birth.”
