News

Healthy Babies Born

February 20, 2011

As we start the New Year here at the AMS clinic, we are thankful for the improvements that have taken place over the last year at the clinic and for the patients who have been helped. January is a slow month at the clinic with the Maasai counnity busy getting their children back to school and planting their fields. Even though patient volume has been low, the maternity has been booming with 16 delivers so far this year!

In a rural clinic setting it is always a special blessing when deliveries go well, as there are no emergency Cesarean-section (C-section) capabilities for miles. This month we saw a 10 plus pound baby delivered safely, premature twin girls delivered and quickly transported to the district hospital, a breach baby, a home birth in a mud hut and a healthy baby delivered with the cord wrapped around his neck. All of these situations could have had a very different outcome had the births been unattended by a physician.

The clinic garden is a success! With all the hard work that went into building the fence and planting a garden and fruit trees, AMS is thankful to have the garden flourishing! This month both staff and patients alike enjoyed the first harvest of greens.

Currently projects at the clinic include the building of a new shower block for the staff and volunteers. Also, this week we plan to build a small chicken coop to house some laying hens.

As many of you know, AMS has been raising money for the immunization project. The government came for their final mobile immunization clinic in January. The government agreed to supply the clinic with free vaccinations provided we send our staff for training at the district hospital and get a World Health Organization approved fridge. This month two of the nurses went to the district hospital and received the needed training. Thanks to many of you, the money has been raised for the solar-powered, WHO-approved vaccination refrigerator  and solar panels. The fridge has been ordered, and we plan to start offering vaccinations at the end of February. 
With a new year beginning, we have hopes of continued improvement at the clinic, as well as helping more patients in the surrounding area.

This year AMS would like to tackle the project of building a surgical ward. With a simple surgery ward we could remove fibroid cysts and infected appendixes or gallbladders and do C-sections. The capabilities of doing C-sections alone would be a great improvement. Currently, the closest hospital that will perform an emergency C-section is over two hours away via a road that is passable only in dry weather.

As we have seen God bless us over the past two years since the doors opened, we are thankful! Thank you all for your financial support, volunteer labor and prayers.