Anne-Marie Magolo Zuku
“The Helping Mothers Survive training gave me courage to help a young mother in crisis,” shared Anne-Marie Magolo Zuku, the head nurse at the IPOC health center.
“Amongoa Antonasi came to the health center 1 day after giving birth at a health center out in the forest about 10 km from here. Her baby was healthy, but the placenta was still in her uterus. I thought about what I had learned 6 months ago in the Helping Mothers Survive training. I prayed to God for his will in this young mother’s life. I gave her an Oxytocin shot and 20 minutes later contractions started. I began to massage her. With protective gloves I reached inside her to remove the placenta and clean out her uterus. I started her on antibiotics and she is doing well today.”
Amongoa Antonasi with her new baby
Anne-Marie added, “I am thankful that the training gives me courage as a nurse. I’m not afraid to help these women. I am very happy for the training that left a seed with us which is growing our ability to heal people in Congo. This is the third woman that I have helped since the training in April. The week after the training I returned to work and helped another nurse’s wife and my niece who had problems with their deliveries.”
Helping Mothers Survive was a training initiative facilitated by the Medical Ambassadors of Paul Carlson Partnership (PCP) in March-April 2014. The first group of Congolese medical personnel trained also learned how to train others and thereby pass on what they learned. Since the training earlier this year, many more staff have been trained with the procedure that saves mothers’ lives.
One woman at Karawa has used the knowledge with 10 mothers and undoubtedly saved their lives. There are many complications that can arise during labor and delivery that, with the right training and equipment, aren’t fatal to the mother or child. Without the training or supplies, however, what may seem like a simple post-delivery procedure in the USA (as Anne-Marie described above) becomes a life-or-death situation in Congo.
Thank you PCP Medical Ambassadors for proposing and carrying out this training. It is saving lives!
L: Lab tech R: Pharmacy aid
Thanks so much for passing along this inspiring story! I had the privilege of meeting Anne-Marie’s husband Zuku when I traveled to DRC in May. I brought along a BP cuff (compliments of Julie Malyon, RN, with PCP) as a gift for Anne-Marie, but I was disappointed I never had the opportunity to meet her in person. I was thrilled to read her story and see her picture! As an RN myself, I know how rewarding it must have been for her to use her new skills to save a life! WONDERFUL! Blessings to that young mom and baby- and continued prayers for all.
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