A Mother’s Mobile Clinic Journey
Rosebertid is a mother of five girls ages 13, 11, 8, 5 and 2. She lives in Cassis, a rural community in the South of Haiti. She delivered all of her children at home with the help of a traditional birth attendant because there is no health facility nearby. The closest health clinics are in Maniche and Les Cayes, both about an hour away.
As one of 800 families enrolled in Project Medishare’s (PM) agricultural recovery project with Smallholder Farmer’s Alliance (SFA), Rosebertid and her family recently received free health care services at one of our mobile clinics a short walk from her home.
Upon arriving at the mobile clinic with her oldest daughter Maxonita, and youngest daughter Nehemie, Rosebertid and other patients receive health education from a local nurse. Topics addressed include nutrition, hygiene and sanitation, and mosquito-borne illnesses.
After the educational seminar, Rosebertid registers with the nurse. Basic demographic information is gathered on each patient.
In the waiting area, Rosebertid holds her daughter Nehemie in her arms to contain the active toddler who enjoys making her mom chase after her.
Local and volunteer nurses like Katherine Martins triage patients, gathering basic health data about Rosebertid and her daughters. Blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, height and weight are recorded.
Dr. Priya Tanna, a previous PM volunteer and pediatrician, along with our own Dr. Farah Alfred, examine Nehemie. She is diagnosed with a skin fungal infection and is prescribed medication.
After Maxonita’s physical exam, Dr. Alfred takes time to counsel the mother and daughter on issues that may be affecting the teenager’s health and well-being. Rosebertid shares that Hurricane Matthew destroyed their home and livelihood. Now she, her husband and daughters live in a tent. They sleep on the ground on beds made of leaves.
Additionally, Maxonita did not return to school after the hurricane, and admits she feels embarrassed when she sees her former classmates and sisters heading off to school while she stays home. Her mom reassures her she’ll be able to return to school in the fall, bringing a smile to her daughter’s face.
At the pharmacy, Rosebertid receives medications to treat her daughters’ health issues. The pharmacist provides instructions on when and how to use each medication prescribed.
Rosebertid also receives a liter of chlorine to ensure her family has access to safe, clean drinking water. PM produced the chlorine at our plant in the Central Plateau.
As Rosbertid and her children make their way back home, she reveals that her dream is for Maxonita to become a nurse so that she can help people like all the people that helped them at the mobile clinic.
Originally published at projectmedishare.org.
