Today, SANA’s team, in coordination with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), carried out its second medical mission at Dar Al Zahra’ in Abu-Samra.

 

SANA started today by presenting the attendees with general guidelines pertaining to the recommended diet and care in pregnancy, and then all the patients underwent examination and sonographic evaluation by SANA.

 

It was a most challenging medical mission today given the number of high risk patients seen. Most of the patients were between month three and eight of pregnancy. Of the patients seen today, 62.5% were on their fourth pregnancy or more, and 28.6% had had a prior c-section. Half the patients had had a home birth in the past, and an additional 14.3% had delivered in a non-hospital setting. A third of the patients had no idea about their dating and they were dated by SANA. There was a patient with a history of eclampsia in the past, and another with recurrent preterm births. SANA gave the all the precautions, commenced medical therapy and together with MSF, made medical arrangements for them.

 

The most heart-breaking patient that SANA encountered today was one of the mothers, who in addition to being displaced from her country and struggling with all the geo-political challenges, was now in the ninth month of her 10^th pregnancy with 2 handicapped daughters at home, a son with seizures and a bedridden mother-in-law, all of whom she was caring for. Her greatest concern was as to who would care for her family once she went into labor and had to leave them to bring forth her new baby into this unfair world…

 

And after this most intense day, despite all the injustice encountered, SANA’s team returned home ever so fulfilled at having made the slightest positive difference in the lives of these most appreciative brave mothers who expressed such gratitude to SANA’s team…

After the first snow, SANA traveled back to Dinnieh today, to the magnificent snow-covered mountain tops, and carried out part 2 of its first hands-on sonographic training session to the Governmental Hospital of Seer Al Dinnieh. Today's session was a completion of last week's session, targeting the midwives and nurses who were not in attendance due to ward-duty last week.

The session commenced with reviewing suturing instructions, practicing on sponges, and several of last week's attendees were in attendance again today and served as great instructors! Subsequently, the introductory didactic session on the basics of ultrasound, its uses, safety and the ALARA principle were covered. In addition, the components of the 6 step evaluation were introduced.

Trainer and trainees then transferred to the prenatal clinic were today only one training station was set up using the hospital machine since last week's trainees were serving as this week's trainers under SANA's guidance. As such, today was living proof of "see one, do one, teach one". All the participants demonstrated such enthusiasm, and proved to be capable teachers as they guided their colleagues through the first crucial steps...

And after a most rewarding day full of live scanning, dates were set for next month's 2 part training leaving the trainees several weeks till then in order to perfect the skills they have already learnt.

SANA headed back home with much pride and gratification stemming from the tremendous improvements noted. And yet again, SANA wishes to thank Dr. Omar Fatfat and Midwife Loulou Yaghi for their great efforts and organization...

It is with much excitement that SANA commenced today the first of several planned sonographic hands-on-training sessions to the midwives and obstetrical nurses of the Governmental Hospital of Seer Al Dinnieh.

 

Having completed Phase 1 of the training in September, which constituted 8 hours of general obstetrical didactic lectures, today Phase 2 started and was dedicated to ultrasound.

 

The 12 trainees, who have no sonographic training whatsoever, were divided into 2 groups as some of them have to cover the wards. In addition, this allows SANA to maximize supervision and encourages the groups to teach each other.

 

Today’s training started with covering the basics of episiotomy repair, as per the trainees‘ request, and all practiced their episiotomy repairs, with great results, on sponges! There were several non-obstetrical nurses in attendance today given the positive impact that SANA’s sessions have had at the hospital. Subsequently, a didactic session followed in which all the basics of ultrasound from physics, to handling, to safety, to the ALARA principle were covered. In addition, the concept of the 6 step training was introduced to the trainees where the focus over the first few hands-on sessions shall be the first 5 steps, and these include: ascertaining viability, number of fetuses, placental location, amniotic fluid index and fetal presentation. Once these are mastered, then step 6, which encompasses fetal biometry, shall become the focus.

 

After the didactic session, trainer and trainees transferred to the prenatal clinic where 2 stations were set up. The first had the hospital’s ultrasound at hand, and the second, SANA’s portable ultrasound.

 

The trainees familiarized themselves with the probe, how to hold it and how to orient themselves with respect to the mother as well as the fetus. And bit by bit, they started to note cardiac activity, identify the placenta and comment on the presenting part as well as the amniotic fluid. The trainees demonstrated much eagerness and determination to tackle these skills and they were guiding each other through the exams.

 

And after many long hours and several extremely ‘patient’ patients, the first session came to an end and the trainees were eager to practice their skills during the interval time till the next session…

 

It is with the greatest satisfaction that SANA completed this session and is so looking forward to map the progress of these most dedicated trainees. SANA expresses the sincerest appreciation to Dr. Omar Fatfat, the medical director at the Governmental Hospital of Seer Al Dinnieh, for his open doors and most motivated staff…