We did an introductory tour of Mulago Hospital. It is a huge hospital, taking about 20 minutes to walk from one end to another. We put on our white lab coats. It was quite a sight - 6 white women wearing white lab coats - we didn't pass another white person on our tour. There are two places in Mulago Hospital where women can give birth. One place is called Ward 14. This is for low risk women and averages 20-30 births a day. The other place is called Lower Mulago, is for high risk women and averages 80 births a day. When we passed this ward, there were women sitting on benches, women lying on the floor, women lying on beds and women waiting on the stairs. The nurses on Lower Mulago are very committed, but lack the numbers and resources to provide the care they want to. Women in both areas dont face the choices women in Canada do. There are no "choices" around childbirth. There is no entenox, morphine, fentanyl or epidurals to help with pain. There aren't even showers or baths or support people. It is simply women labouring, on their own, in beds, side by side. There is not a choice around "what to wear". Instead, women are wrapped in an amazing variety of colour and fabric, but definitely not in a hospital gown. So, we start attending births now, learning what we can, providing hands as we can. There is so much to do.
Tina from Kampala
