Tuesday 27th July saw the first ever Caesarean Section  in the Southern District of Zanzibar at Makunduchi Hospital. The mother's labour had failed to progress as  normal due to mal-presentation so an emergency Caeserean Section was performed by Dr Hadija, a visiting gynaecologist from Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, and Dr Amour... Spinal anaesthesia was administered by Haji Fatawi.

Not just one but two breech babies were delivered! Mother and twin girls are doing well and are delighted that they didn't have to undergo the 70km bumpy journey to Mnazi Mmoja Hospital.

This marks a very positive step forward in the quest to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality on the island. It has been the culmination of many months of preparation which has included training AMO Dr Amour Vurhan in surgical skills, also training the anaesthetist Haji Fatawi, renovating the operating theatre, facilitating the blood transfusion service and suppying the anaesthetic machine. This work has been carried out by the Makunduchi Project with support from the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar.

Makunduchi Hospital plans to extend its Caesarean Section service which will reduce the morbidity and mortality incurred by a long transfer and offload the pressurised maternity service at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital. This is fantastic news for pregnant mothers and babies in Southern Unjuga.

On a final note... a picture of the happy (extended) family!

Grandmother, mother, sister and the twin girls leaving hospital to return home.

Truly 'bouncing' babies - on discharge the smaller twin weighed 2.5kg and the bigger weighed 3kg.

...... And what a FIRST !