February 2, 2011
 Midwife Madame Francois Bruno |
 Sr. Denise makes regular use of birthing kits |
Entering the monthly Midwife Meeting at the Little Sisters of Saint Therese Clinic in the rural town of Baradères, Patrick Eucalitto, Program Director, and Sarah Dutcher, Country Director, were greeted with a resounding chorus of “Bonjour!” Hope for Haiti has been supporting the Midwife Program in Baradères for two years and their health and nutrition programs for over five years. All the midwives are familiar with Patrick and greet him as an old friend. It is Sarah’s first time attending the meeting, and as introductions are made she is quickly welcomed and accepted into the circle of midwives. The theme of today’s meeting is cholera prevention. The cholera epidemic has hit Baradères especially hard with over 700 cholera patients. Every day, new cases arrive at the Cholera Treatment Center set up by Medicins Sans Frontiers next to the Sister’s clinic and the area’s only primary healthcare facility.
The midwives have the potential to play a very important role in combating cholera; as respected health workers in their communities, they can help educate their neighbors on how to better prevent and treat the unfamiliar disease. The meeting is led by Sister Denise and Miss Finette Gelin, both trained nurses, who ensure that all 35 women and 6 men are engaged in the conversation. Although the women are the majority, the men eagerly remind the group of their presence, making up in participation what they lack in numbers. For many of the midwives, the skill of delivering babies in their communities has been passed down from their mothers or fathers. Some midwives will deliver up to 9 or more babies each month for women who otherwise would be giving birth unattended at home.
In addition to financial support, Hope for Haiti provides in-kind support to the Midwife Program. Hope for Haiti has designed birthing kits meant to assist the midwives with providing a sanitary, safe birth for both woman and child. The supplies for these kits are donated and prepared by Hope for Haiti volunteers in Naples, FL and then shipped and distributed to places in need like Baradères. Over the past 7 months, Hope for Haiti has been able to package and send 321 Birthing Kits.
Each Birthing Kit Includes:
- One bar of soap: To clean the birth attendants’ hands both before delivery and prior to cutting the umbilical cord, and to clean the mother’s perineum.
- One pair of clean latex gloves: To reduce disease transmission
- One square yard of clear 4 mil plastic sheeting: To provide a clean surface on which to deliver the baby
- Three pieces of clean string each 12 inches long to tie off the umbilical cord (the third piece is extra)
- One clean single use razor blade: Essential for a clean cutting of the cord
- One gallon zip lock bag: To package the kit and to be used to hold the placenta and used supplies for safe disposal
- Gauze squares (5)
- Alcohol prep pads (6)
- Sanitary maternity pads (4)
- Wash Cloth (2)
- Chux pads (blue pads) (1)
- Baby sheet to wrap the new baby
Using these kits, the program can help ensure ongoing education, peer support, and quality materials to the midwives working in Baradères and the surrounding mountain communities. Although it is only Sarah’s first meeting with the Midwife Program participants, she is inspired and motivated by their dedication to the craft and their eagerness to continue learning.
 Patrick and Madame Francois Bruno |
 The Midwife Meeting Room |
 Midwife Group Shot |
*According to the World Health Organization three quarters of all maternal deaths occur during delivery and the immediate post-partum period. One of the critical interventions for safe motherhood is to ensure skilled care provided by skilled professionals during pregnancy and childbirth. Since more than 60% of all births in Haiti occur in the rural areas and the majority (over 70%) take place at home, skilled midwives like the men and women in Baraderes are essential to the health and wellbeing of both mom and baby.
For More Information on Maternal Health in Haiti:
http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/countries/hai.pdf
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_statistics.html