Comments on: Video: Full Episode

By: Chiara Carcianiga

Chiara Carcianiga — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:06:27 +0000

For those who are interested in supporting the work of these young nurses, here are their contacts:

hamobra@gmail.com or enfermeiros.mz@gmail.com

I worked with some of the nurses in Emilia’s course in 2001-2002 and I can only confirm that their efforts deserve all the support we can give to them.

Emilia is not an exception. Other students in her group had to endure the same or even greater challenges.

Please, help in any way you can, either with bursaries, or with materials for their work and safety.

By: Tomekia

Tomekia — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:13:53 +0000

This story too saddened me; however, what is the alternative? I would rather these midwives perform c-sections in hopes of saving thousands of women’s lives. I applaud Emilia and her colleagues as well as PBS for following this story. Iyesha – I so agree about the generator and the gloves. Some Americans (not all) take for granted that advanced technology is a right. As we can see, in Mozambique, it is not. Wilma Morris – it would be nice to have Mrs. Cumbane’s mailing address.

By: Lisa Ellis

Lisa Ellis — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:42:24 +0000

My heart and soul was extremly moved by what these african woman have to go thru. I would like to get involved in helping in some way. Whatever and however please let me know. This show touched the depth of my being and I want to thank you for broadcasting this on PBS. God bless all the people involved.

By: Wilma Morris

Wilma Morris — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:42:29 +0000

Can you provide a mailing address for Emilia Cumbane, the midwife surgeon in your video? I would like very much to correspond with her. She is a very strong woman and an example to women around the world and I would like to know her better and become friends. Thank you.

By: Iyesha

Iyesha — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:22:31 +0000

$1,000 for a generator? I have $1,000 and I could supply them with enough gloves for a year if given the chance. This is a tragedy. Americans waste money on a plethora of mundane things while countries like Mozambique and many others do not have simple things such as a generator and gloves so that they can perform these life-saving procedures. It’s a shame….

By: Jesica Dolin

Jesica Dolin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:49:23 +0000

As a licensed midwife in the US, I was very impressed with this training program…until they got to the issue of women not having access to VBAC. At first I was enraged that it wasn’t an option, but upon looking closer, they had classical incisions! If these midwives are being trained to do Cesareans, why are they being trained in such an outdated style? It seems that the simple change of training them to do low transverse incisions could make a major impact on whether VBAC and a reasonable Cesarean rate (5-15%) are a part of those better outcomes, or whether that improvement in outcome is reduced due to a high Cesarean rate (as we see in the United States).

By: Midwife

Midwife — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:20:13 +0000

Check out Earth Birth: A Global Women’s Health Collective. All donations go directly towards the training of traditional birth attendants in Northern Uganda and Sudan. http://www.earth-birth.com

By: Hilary

Hilary — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:34:59 +0000

It makes me sad that people comment on this story with their own agendas. No, mothers are not ungrateful when they ask for less unnecessary interventions in the United States. Can’t some of these resources wasted on non-emergency labors be spent better in poorer countries?

And, on the other side of the same coin, as much as I am against unnecessary surgery, there is a serious need for access to cesarean in the developing world. Go visit http://www.endfistula.org/index.htm if you need to learn about what cesarean sections could do to help mothers and babies.

I do agree, however, that money could be spent better helping support medical centers like these than on war. Hear, hear.

By: Jane Houston

Jane Houston — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:02:33 +0000

This is 2008, and maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa should concern us all. I worked as a midwife in rural Zimbabwe in the 1990’s and the situations were very similar to the ones encountered here. Good for these brave midwife surgeons, I hope they flourish.

By: harriet donnelly

harriet donnelly — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:51:10 +0000

this was an outstanding report on what is taking place to help such an enormous problem, but gives me faith in the human race that we can come together to be creative in solving problems. Margaret Chan was impressive in her efforts also. I work at one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the nation. Can you let me know how I can get our hospital involved to help these efforts? I know they would love the opportunity.

By: Regine Marton

Regine Marton — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:40:57 +0000

Ms de Pinho says;”According to the Countdown 2015 figures, the caesarean section rate for Mozambique is 2%, a figure that is unacceptably low, given that the expected C-section rate is somewhere between 5 – 15% of all deliveries. In other words, women and babies are dying in Mozambique because of lack of access to skilled health professionals (surgical technicians, midwives or doctors) and the health facilities equipped to provide basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care”
Answer: although your reasonning and data is more than correct, I may be more subtle in the conclusion stating that women and babies are dying from lack of providers. This statement in my opinion reflects a paradigm obliterating some reasons why these women need access to medical care; Coming back on my first comment, lack of sanitations, chronic health problems such as anemia malaria etc… malnutrition, unemployement country destroyed by years of civil war, portuguese providers going back to main land for diverse reasons etc..
So yes they are lacking providers but are we going to continue to form providers in order to get a “quick fix” or are we going to thing bigger and focus on the other problems?
Dont take me wrong, I cried during most of the movie, and my heart was right there for these incredible warriors…

By: jacquelyn

jacquelyn — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:47:03 +0000

i agree with the comments, we can not superimpose
over values and judgments we need to listen, observe
and learn at the end of all of this: how can we help
what do the midwives want us to do, what does the
people of the villages want us to do, let ’s do it
be it a generator, nursing students internships,
training in related areas, please let us know what
we can do for a cost of less than jimmy choo shoes,
a broadway play and dinner we can do something. this
story has touched me at the core of my heart.
one of my favorite scripture stories is Exodus 1:10 to
end, Shiprah and Puah who were leaders of the guild
of midwives, saved a nation . we have no idea what
impact these women will have on future generations.
peace- let me know if what we can do

By: Maggie Traore

Maggie Traore — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:22:05 +0000

What a wonderful initiative! Putting the skill of cesarean birth into the hands of health care workers at the nearest proximity to birthing women is a worthy gesture. This is not about encouraging cesarean birth, AT ALL! This is about teaching a much needed skill to health care workers who are willing and likely to be near women who would need this intervention.
I admire the women who are willing to go to such great lengths to learn and who are willing to go where they are needed to put their hands to the task of helping their sisters. And those who are willing to see that they are trained and have the necessary resources.
Maternity care is definitely a human resource issue (staff where they are most needed), a development issue (access to health care), and a social issue (education and awareness). But training midwives in cesarean birth, seeing they have the necessary supplies, and posting them where the need is greatest is a response that meets at least one need – - appropriate, accessible emergency obstetric care.
Thank you PBS for sharing one country’s response to the global problem of maternal/infant mortality!

By: Ann Davenport

Ann Davenport — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:27:56 +0000

Thank you PBS for this very wonderful documentary. Dr Chan is so right – if we can do something to save one woman or one baby, at least we are doing something! However, I agree with Regine Marton, in the comments section – surgical intervention is not always the answer. PREVENTION is always more cost effective. It all comes down to women’s rights, again, doesn’t it?

This also shows that obstetricians really have no place in medicine. As a midwife and nurse, I have worked in many developing countries, and know from first hand experience that good midwifery care is 100 times more effective in saving lives than obstetrician intervention. Thank you for this and other PBS documentaries!