Dusty roads and Health Centres

I am currently in the middle of a programme of midwifery skill drills for the Health centre Midwives.

Last Thursday, my VA Channa, and I set off by ferry to cross the Sekong and Mekong Rivers to Thala district at 7 am. We then had a one and a half hour motorbike journey North along rough brown roads to the Preah Romkel Health Centre on the West banks of the Mekong.

Three midwives were waiting for us and we set up our teaching session in the labour roomwhich has a beautiful view across the river.

First I tested them on the post partum haemorrhage drill they learnt last time – they remembered it very well. Next we went through breech birth with each midwife practicing the drill using the models sent out by kind people from the UK- Thank you again.

The midwives seem to enjoy this practical style of teaching- they say they have never learnt techniques to cope with problem breech births.

After the session we sat down to biscuits and a can of juice and now that they know me better they ask questions:

Can the soft lumps on a baby’s head at birth cause brain damage?

 Can I teach them how to suture after childbirth?

- I find this is a very positive step.

At midday we drove 3 Km further up the Mekong to the dolphin observation area but the dolphins were all a long way out or sleeping- not leaping out of the water in front of us anyway.

Next I was back on the motorbike for a further one and a half hours of potholes, dust and dodgy bridges.

We crossed back to Stung Treng on the ferry along with various livestock -this chicken had its legs tied together but kept flapping its wings too close to me for my liking.

I arrived home mid afternoon desperate for a shower and late siesta.