An unborn child died in the womb and the young mother was evacuated to Vanimo Hospital for further medical attention through the use of the Facebook . On Monday 15th December 2014 a CHW nurse at Mukili health sub centre came and told me that a lady by the name of Clara Sowei Manu had been in labour since Friday and the baby in the womb had died in the womb on Saturday. The nurse tried to get the help from Nuku district health services and Aitape diocese health services but she cannot get through. She came and asked me if I could help her so I took my camera and went to the mothernity ward and took the pictures of the young mother and posted them on the face book and asked for help. I asked for a chopper because Mukili is very isolated and roads are very bad and airstrip is very bushy. Immediately some friends of mine on the face book saw this and started distributing the appeal through other social networks. My friend Basil Puetalo who lives in Pom contacted me through face book and told me to assist. He also asked me if I could arrange the youths to carry her on the stretcher to Nuku and he will find money to pay them. Many other calls and face book messages came in and the appeal went far and wide locally and internationally. Meantime when all these was going on I monitor the young mother every hour with the nurses and took pictures and update the appeal on the face book. People were texting and calling but the problem was I had only one sim card which I used for phone and also on the modern for internet. Some calls were not very good as they were questioning me why I put the story on the face book, especially some calls from Vanimo. But this did not stop me because my whole heart and mind was to save the mother. She was very weak and in great pain as the unborn child had been in her womb for two days. At 2pm I told the youths to prepare the stretcher to carry her to Nuku. The distance from Mukili to Nuku is 7 hours walk. When I was assisting the youths to build the stretcher, the CEO of Provincial Health Authority of Sandaun Mr. Elias Kapaore rang me and told me that he had arranged a chopper to come and pick up Clara to Vanimo. Later I heard that this came about because the appeal arrived at Health Ministers office so the Health Minister Hon. Michael Malabag instructed the health people in the province to airlift the mother. I was filled with joy when I heard the news and I told the nurse to prepare the mother for airlifting. I went to my house and find some clothes for her as she has only one pair and was dirty and filty because of four days in labour. I came and gave the clothes to the nurse and they dressed her and got ready for the chopper. I observed that when we were waiting for the chopper she was in great pain and dying slowly. When this happened I prayed harder and harder that the good Lord may safe the live of the mother as he had already taken the child. Finally at 17:00 I heard the chopper coming and I was happy. The chopper landed at the playing field and we carry the mother on the stretch and put her on the chopper to Vanimo. When she arrived there they rushed her to the emergency ward and pull out the dead baby and the mother survived the ordeal and is recovering slowly at the hospital. I want to take this time to thank those who one way or another help and contributed in this rescue exercise of Clara Sowei Manu. I want to mention some names here: Mr. Basil Puetalo, Mr. Lawrence Stephens, Michelle Hau’ofa, Mr. Mark Palm of Nuigini helicopters, Mr. Elias Kapaore CEO PHA, Hon Michael Malabag and many others who contributed. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015 to you all. Thankyou and May God bless you and reward you all. Fr. Martin We-en
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 00:47:18 +0000