To the inner Akkar valley SANA's team traveled today, back to Tall Hayat. Today's mission was organized in collaboration with World Vision Akkar (www.worldvision.org.lb) as well as a local NGO جمعية رتاج الحياة الاجتماعية الخيرية.

To a packed waiting room the team arrived, where an educational session was then carried out and the main theme was nutrition in pregnancy with a special concentration on prevention of iron- deficiency anemia.

Three new pregnancies were diagnosed today and 20% were re-dated. The majority of the mothers, 67%, had had a maximum of one prenatal visit thus far. What was unique about today's visit is that 40% of the patients seen had had a prior cesarean section and the importance of prenatal care and follow up in order to plan a timely delivery was stressed.

Of the mothers tested. 75% had anemia and all nutritional supplements today were made courtesy of Mr. Dori Mansour.

After a most intense day, SANA's team thanked our hosts for their impeccable organization and futures dates were set for a subsequent visit. The teams and mothers parted with much anticipation for another future mission of sustained guidance and assistance...

On the eve of Mother’s Day, which is celebrated in Lebanon on the first day of Spring, SANA’s team headed back to the inner city, back to the Tabbaneh area of Tripoli, on a medical mission carried out in collaboration with the "Charitable Ladies' Union".

 

This was a most memorable trip for SANA, celebrating motherhood and the gift of life. On this Mother’s Day, SANA’s team carried with them white roses, symbolizing peace and purity, and handed them out to each of our expectant mothers with wishes for serenity and continued health.

 

Today’s session commenced by paying a special tribute to all mother’s and concentrated on how to safeguard maternal health and wellbeing … There were several new mothers, in addition to some of that had been previously seen by SANA.

 

After the session, the medical evaluations were carried out, and what was most notable about today’s visit was that 44% of our patients had had no prenatal care and 56% had had only one prenatal visit. In addition, most of our patients, 67%, were on their first or second pregnancy, so most were young and eager mothers-to-be with several questions and concerns, all of which were handled by SANA's team.

 

SANA’s team corrected the dates on 33% of the patients seen, diagnosed 2 new pregnancies as well as a possible ectopic pregnancy and arrangements were made for further medical follow up. Again, anemia was our most frequently encountered problem, found in 50% of the patients tested, and today all supplements were made possible courtesy of Levant Alie Houses SAL.

 

And after a purely gratifying mission, future dates were set for the next visit to the Tabbaneh area and white rose-carrying-mothers, as well as SANA's team, returned back to basecamp, having truly celebrated Mother’s Day in a most memorable way…

With spring comes the promise of regeneration, revitalization and rejuvenation… And this promise was all around SANA's team as it carried its fourth medical mission to Btourmaz....

 

Nature was in full bloom with splendid flower-laden peach and almond trees, in the most brilliant of colors that the eyes could feast on...

 

This was reflected as well by the large number of mothers-to-be, carrying the gift of life, and waiting for SANA's team in the health dispensary's courtyard...

 

There were several previously seen patients together with a significant number of new patients most of whom were on their first pregnancy with all the excitement and concerns that come with it...

 

And after our usual educational session, the exams commenced... And what was most notable today was the incredible progress that Ms. Ghinwa Alfareek, the charge nurse, had made as she carried out 10 obstetrical sonographic examinations...She was able to correctly identify the placental location, fetal presentation and viability, identify the major organs and commence on biometric measurements...

 

Again, the most prevalent medical problem was anemia and supplements were made available courtesy of Mr. Dori Mansour...

 

At the end of a most inspiring day, dates were set for the subsequent visit where the main goal shall be the continuation of Ghinwa's sonographic training...

 

And to the promise of spring we bid farewell and headed back home having felt the fullness and beauty of life all around us: in nature as in our budding mothers-to-be...