After last week's harshest winter storm, where snow fell at 300 meters above sea-level, SANA's team travelled up some 550 meters into the Akkar mountains for our first mission to the village of Aayoun. Our backdrop was magnificent: snow covered mountain-tops against endless green meadows signaling the struggle between the parting winter and soon-to-arrive spring...

Today's mission was carried out in collaboration with Dr. Hasan Chdeed's Medical Center in Aayoun.

SANA's team was so warmly met by the most able, organized staff and our anxiously awaiting pregnant mothers. And as has been our custom, we started with an educational session and then the individualized patient care was carried out.

SANA's team was accompanied by Ms. Layal Khalil, the local RN in charge, who commenced with the ABC's of obstetrical sonography: the key goals and signs to look for in a remote mountainous set up.

What was most notable about our group of patients today was their age where 40% were above the age of 35 and 30% were at least on their fourth pregnancy. In addition, 30% had had no prenatal care, 20% had had an in-utero fetal demise in the latter parts of a previous pregnancy and 30% had unknown or wrong dates.

Anemia remained the most serious medical problem that SANA's team encountered where 75% of the patients tested had significant anemia. All supplements today were made courtesy of Levant Alie Houses SAL.

And after another most successful mission, both teams felt that this should be the beginning of continued future missions, and SANA's gratified team descended back away from the glistening mountain tops......

Amidst February's storms, SANA's team headed to the heart of Akkar's valley, to the village of Tall Hayat.

Today's mission was carried out in collaboration with World Vision Akkar (www.worldvision.org.lb), as well as a local NGO "جمعية رتاج الحياة الإجتماعية الخيرية" at their local health dispensary. 

SANA's team was again joined by Ms. Safa' Alali, our trainee from Sheikh Zennad's prior missions, who continued to exude such eagerness to learn especially when it came to obstetrical ultrasound...

As usual, SANA's team supplied the local expectant mothers with guidance and medical care, and all mothers underwent evaluation utilizing our ultrasound for dating and fetal well being. Again, the most prevalent hazard amongst our mothers, who ranged between the 3rd and 8th month of gestation, was anemia, which was found in 85%. At least 50% of the patients seen had had no prenatal care thus far, or a maximum of 1 prenatal visit. Today’s mission’s nutritional supplements were made available courtesy of Mr. Dori  Mansour.

After another gratifying mission, future dates for a subsequent visit were set, and SANA's team journeyed back home,through Akkkar's rough roads, that proved to be even more of a challenge today, in the pouring rain...

To the inner city, SANA’s team, traveled. Today's mission was  in collaboration with the "Charitable Ladies' Union" and took the team into the heart of the city, the Tabbaneh area, the locale of Tripoli's largest "Farmer's Market". And in spite of the roaring wind and pouring rain, the team was warmly met by the eager mothers-to-be as they gathered at the local headquarters of the "Charitable Ladies' Union"...

As is customary, the mission commenced with an educational session addressing the attendees concerns regarding all issues pertaining to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

Subsequently, thorough medical evaluations were carried out: from the basic weight and blood pressure, to the anemia and diabetes screening, and finally to sonographic assessment of the future generation…

All nutritional supplements today were the generous donation of Levant Alie Houses S.A.L.

Most of our patients ranged in age from 17 to 45, 42% were on their first pregnancy, in the second to ninth month of pregnancy, and 33% had had no prenatal care and 8% had had a prior home birth and were planning a home birth. Of the patients tested, 50% had anemia and were given the proper dietary supplementation. Today, what was striking to SANA’s team was the high percentage of mothers, 25%, who had suffered through multiple neonatal deaths due to various maternal and fetal conditions. As such, much time was spent discussing the workup and preventive measures to those catastrophic outcomes...

And after a most rewarding mission, future dates were set for the next visit to the Tabbaneh area and SANA's team returned to basecamp, in the heartland of what was previously known as the “Basateen Area”, that is the orange-grove center of Tripoli, and what has given it its alter name as  Fayha', the Arabic for "fragrant city"...