SANA commenced its final ultrasound course for 8 midwives at Aboujaoude Hospital.

The team met today for introductions and goals and the first official didactic session.

The main topic today was the basics pertaining to physics and knobology. The midwifery students were quite excited to commence and they were given today’s handouts.

SANA’s portable probe was on hand today to create a pseudo-simulation setting using sonographic images on the screen and illustrating to the students the probe handling and orientation with respect to the image on the screen. This proved to be quite useful!

Most importantly, the ALARA principle and the 6-Step Approach to Obstetrical scanning were discussed and their importance stressed to the students.

SANA was able to secure 8 copies of Abuhamad’s e-book ‘Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology: A Practical Approach’ for each of the trainees. These were distributed to cement the strong foundations they shall need into the future.

It was a most exciting start and SANA looks forward to the evolution of its new trainees…

SANA’s team returned to Dahieh today for the last medical/educational mission at the health dispensary of “Aamel Organization”. Accompanying SANA was Dr. Maha Ayoubi, a 3^rd year Ob/Gyn resident at the Lebanese University.

There were several patients waiting for SANA today and they were all between their 3rd^thand 9^thmonths of pregnancy. They ranged in age between 15 and 40 years, and 69% were on pregnancy 4 or more. Dr. Maha carried out all the scans with ease and comfort and systematically carried out the 6-Step and 3-sweep approaches, under the guidance of SANA’s Reem S. Abu-Rustum. In addition, she was skillfully obtained the majority of the anatomic planes ascertaining the presence and normal appearance of the various fetal organs. SANA redated 8% of the patients seen. Of note is that this was a very high risk group with 2 sets of twins seen, a patient with a placenta previa and 2 fetuses with anomalies. Followup was arranged for the patients.

SANA also brought to Aamel today the educational pamphlets, put forth by the Lebanese Society of Ob/Gyn, for distribution on how to ensure a safe fast to our expectant mothers during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

A special thank you to Levant Alie Houses SAL and Mr. Dory Mansour for providing all the supplements today.

At the end of a gratifying day, SANA thanked the outstanding team at Aamel and headed back home…

It was another memorable trip for SANA’s team today as they returned to Jabal Al Biddawi on a medical and educational mission at the health dispensary of “Amani Organization”. Accompanying SANA were 3 trainees: midwives Nahla, Jinan and Janine who were on the final phase of their sonographic training.

As usual, Midwife Ibtisam Seif was waiting for SANA’s team with a large number of patients who patiently waited several hours to be seen. The patients ranged in age between 16 and 33 years. Of those, 17% were on their first pregnancy and 50% were on pregnancy 4 or more. SANA redated 25% of the patients seen today.

The trainees worked diligently under the guidance of midwife Seif overseen by SANA’s Reem S. Abu-Rustum. They were able to carry out the 6 step approach with ease and confidence and showed marked improvement with each patient.

SANA thanks Levant Alie Houses SAL and Mr. Dory Mansour for providing all nutritional supplements today.

At the end of a most rewarding day, the team headed back home ever so proud of SANA’s trainees.