Village midwife: "Extended arm" taking care of the health of mothers and children in difficult areas

(LĐXH) - Due to poor transportation and low education levels, in many ethnic minority areas, women still give birth at home and lack knowledge about pregnancy care and newborn care...

There, the village midwife is considered an extension of the health sector in the field of reproductive health care for women in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The arduous journey of supporting pregnant women in the highlands

After more than 7 years working as a midwife in the villages, Ms. Lo Thi Duong (Nam Dich village, Cha Nua commune, Nam Po district, Dien Bien province) cannot remember how many births she has delivered. Not afraid of long distances or rooster crowing in the middle of the night, whenever the mother needs her, she is there.

Ms. Duong said: “Due to the rugged terrain, no electricity, and far away markets, examining pregnant women is extremely difficult. In addition to monitoring reproductive health for 97 households, I also work in women and population. My daily work is to examine pregnant mothers and take care of the health of mothers and babies after birth.”

Midwife Lau Thi Cho (On ​​village, Tam Chung commune, Muong Lat district) provides reproductive health advice to women in the village.

Ms. Duong added that ethnic minorities mainly work in the fields. Therefore, to take care of the health of pregnant women, she has to go out for several hours every day to consult about regular health check-ups and examine pregnant women. She even has to go to the fields to persuade pregnant women to return home and go to medical facilities when the due date is near. Although it is hard and busy, she only receives 447,000 VND in support per month.

"I spent 200,000 VND to top up my phone, to call and check on the pregnant woman. The remaining money I used to buy gas to go to her house. With my current budget, it is not enough to cover my living expenses. But if people need it, I have to do it," said Lo Thi Duong.

Ms. Giang Thi Sau (group 1, Nam Dich village) said that in 2016, she was pregnant with her first child. Ms. Duong examined her and advised her to go to a medical facility to give birth because her baby was in a transverse position, but Ms. Sau was subjective and did not listen to the midwife. When she went into labor, she lost a lot of blood and thought she would not survive, so she had to call Ms. Duong. Thanks to timely emergency care, Ms. Sau and her child were saved.

After Ms. Sau's near-death experience, the villagers understood the importance of reproductive care. Pregnant women voluntarily went to the health station for examination, no longer being as subjective as before.

"Extended arm" to care for the health of mothers and children in difficult areas

Village midwife Lau Thi Cho (On ​​village, Tam Chung commune, Muong Lat district, Thanh Hoa) said that it takes nearly 17km from the village center to the commune health station, and due to customs, women give birth at home. Previously, many pregnant women still went to work on the fields when they were close to giving birth, which posed a potential risk to their health and lives; many pregnant women did not have the conditions to be nourished and cared for.

Working as a midwife in the village, Ms. Cho does not mind the hardship. She has a notebook recording every detail and sign of pregnant mothers and babies. When she sees any unusual signs, she advises the mothers on how to take care of their health. If the signs are severe, she advises the family to take the mother and baby to the hospital for timely examination and treatment.

For mothers who are close to giving birth, Ms. Cho will go to their homes to persuade them to go to the clinic to ensure a safe delivery. In case they cannot get to the clinic in time, she will go to their homes to deliver the baby.

Lung Cu is one of the highland and border communes of Dong Van district, Ha Giang. The lives of the majority of the people are still full of difficulties. Every day, in contact with the people, village midwife Vu Thi My understands and shares with the women, especially during pregnancy and raising young children.

Ms. My said that in the past, most women in the villages gave birth at home, invited shamans and sorcerers to perform ceremonies and gave birth naturally.

However, for more than 10 years now, since the village midwife program has been present in Lung Cu, home births have been well counseled, examined and cared for, reducing many risks for mothers.

In the highland border villages, the village midwives become close friends, accompanying the mothers and children in the highlands. With their dedicated hands and loving hearts, they quietly bring faith and hope to the small lives in the difficult lands.

Duc Tho

Labor and Social Affairs Newspaper No. 7

Source: https://dansinh.dantri.com.vn/nhan-luc/co-do-thon-ban-canh-tay-noi-dai-cham-soc-suc-khoe-ba-me-tre-em-vung-kho-20250116110134719.htm