Today marked the third medical mission to Akkar Valley’s Tall Hayat.  SANA’s team travelled alongside magnificent bountiful fields with Earth’s varied spring fruit, to be greeted by the team of World Vision Akkar (www.worldvision.org.lb) together with the representatives of the local NGO جمعية رتاج الحياة الاجتماعية الخيرية, the coordinators for this medical mission, to whom SANA is so very grateful…

Miss Safa’ Alali, our trainee from prior missions, was with SANA again today and she took her first solid steps in performing Obstetrical sonograms, under the guidance of SANA’s team. Safa’ demonstrated her ability at identifying the key requirements that have been stressed to her throughout the previous sessions: localizing the placenta, identifying the presenting fetal part, ascertaining fetal viability, in addition to recognizing key anatomic and biometric structures in the fetus.

What was most noticeable amongst our mothers-to-be today was the wide geographical area from which they came, spanning from the extreme North all the way to the Bekaa Valley. Some were displaced due to various social and political reasons and many were facing unplanned pregnancies with various social and economical struggles. Much time did SANA’s team spend today providing the necessary medical and psychological support that these women were in such a need of…Today’s nutritional supplements were courtesy of Mr. Dory Mansour.

 

After a rewarding experience on many levels, plans were made for a future visit to the Akkar Valley to provide more care and continue on with the training of Ms. Alali...

The team’s trip back was most memorable accompanying trucks filled with hay, and fields being prepared for harvest and re-plant, symbolizing the Earth’s life cycle and the hopeful birth of spring…