(ERGO) – Pregnant women in Abudwak, central Somalia, are thankful to be receiving free delivery services at a private hospital in the town, following closure of the only public health facility that had been providing free maternity care.
Nasra Bishaar Ismail, 23, gave birth to her first child by caesarean delivery at the private Abduwak general hospital five days ago, after a 32–hour labour.
She had been getting ante-natal care at the hospital but feared she might be able to afford professional help for delivery.
“I was so worried about what would happen to me because I had no money and would not have been in a position to seek help from private hospitals,” Nasra said.
“The baby and I are recovering very well, though with some bruises caused by the birth complications,” she said.
Another mother, Hamdi Mohamed Ahmed, underwent prolonged labour in her village of Yamaarugley for six days. She was finally transported to Abudwak by her family.
“I was informed of the free delivery services offered by the hospital but when I went into labour, I opted to stay at home. But that did not work out and so I was brought here,” she said.
Hamdi also had financial problems, as her family lost 140 goats during drought over the last three years, and would not have been able to pay for private delivery.
“I failed to deliver the baby naturally as I was suffering from anemia. Then I was brought to these doctors,” she said. She was very weak and needed blood and intravenous fluids on arrival.
Dr Mustafe Mohamed Hassan, head of the maternity department at the privately run Abudwak general hospital, told Radio Ergo they were offering free delivery services to fill the gap left by the only public health centre in Abudwak that closed several months ago due to lack of funding.
“Before we started offering this free service, people used to go seeking medical help in Galkayo, Dhusamareb and Adado towns. But now people know about the services we are offering.
Only minutes ago, we helped a mother through a stillbirth, she was from a remote area,” he said. “People pay nothing. Since we began this free service, we have assisted 30 mothers.”
The public health centre that had been providing free maternity services in Abudwak was Ibado hospital. It was run by the International Medical Corps (IMC), which ceased its support in June due to lack of funding for its programmes in Galmudug.
