After a long absence from Akkar due to political and weather-induced reason, SANA’s team returned back to Tal Hayat, in the heart of the Akkar Valley, in collaboration with World Vision Akkar (www.worldvision.org.lb).

 

And as always, the trips to Akkar evoke such emotion and show such contrast between the bountiful land and its underserved neglected people… And no more was this more evident than today as SANA travelled amidst the rich land, where in many areas there were flimsy tents set up with their occupants tending to their daily personal care in the nearby-ponds left for them by last week’s pouring rain… And amidst all this bitterness, the team saw the most serene cotton-candy seller, so at peace with himself and the world, selling his candy and infecting with his smile, all the passer-bys… And when asked for a photo, he graciously agreed to have SANA photograph him and sweetly inquired whether he might appear on TV! (Visit SANA’s Facebook Page for today’s photos).

 

SANA saw a large number of expectant mothers today and commenced the training of Ms. Samar Hammoud, a Akkar local with a nursing background, interested in exploring the possibilities for expanding her knowledge for potential future involvement with a local health dispensary.

 

Today, most of the mothers were young and 36% were on their first pregnancy, and only 36% were on pregnancy 4 or higher. Another 36% had had no or only 1 prior prenatal care visit. After the complete obstetrical evaluation, 25% of the patients seen were re-dated based on sonographic evaluation by SANA.

 

And despite the cold cold conditions at the Tal Hayat health dispensary, the mothers waited patiently and were quite appreciative of SANA’s care. SANA wishes to thank Levant Alie Houses SAL who made available all the  nutritional supplements for this mission.

 

And at the end of this bitter-sweet day, SANA and WVI made plans for the future in order to broaden SANA’s training role for the health care personnel at the local Health Dispensaries. And as SANA’s team was about to leave, they were gifted two huge crates filled with the most beautiful lemons and navel oranges from the loving giving people of Tal Hayat…

Today, SANA’s team carried out its first educational/medical mission of 2013 in coordination with Medecins Sans Frontieres.

After over a month’s absence, due to the unforeseen circumstances in North Lebanon, SANA headed back to the Governmental Hospital of Seer Al Dinnieh, with the final days of fall ever so clear in the once bountiful green trees, now bare and hanging on to their last leaf…

 

There was a big welcome from the midwives and nurses who were ever so eager to share their past month’s experiences and accomplishments: proudly they reported the fact that a fetal demise was diagnosed by the trainees, in addition to a surprising pair of twins at the time of a 24 week scan! They were so eager to continue on with the sonographic training, and this reinforced to SANA the importance of its educational mission…

 

The lecture today served to review what had been previously covered: the 6 step approach to scanning, however  the main focus today was on fetal biometry. A detailed overview of the required planes necessary to measure the head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length was presented. In addition, SANA explained how to measure the amniotic fluid index and discussed the role of the cerebellar diameter in ascertaining dates. The trainees received detailed handouts to serve as future reference to them.

 

Following the didactic session, the team transferred to the prenatal clinic where a large number of expectant mothers, ranging between 20 and 36 weeks, were waiting. SANA oversaw the trainees as they scanned each mother, covered the 6 basic steps, and concentrated on fetal biometry.

 

After a long rewarding day, SANA’s final mission of 2012 came to an end with much gratification at the huge palpable impact felt on the trainees with respect to their sonographic skills. Dates were set for the new year and SANA left Aasoun with great anticipation for the upcoming new year with all the hope, potential and promise that it shall bring…