Hi Ladies
I have been asked to write an article for an American company called 'Happiest baby on the block'
I want to do a course through them about baby care. They seem intrigued with the fact that I'm South African and a nursing midwife
Please check my article below and let me know what you think. They just wanted me to write on my experience...
Working as a Professional Nurse and Midwife in Johannesburg, South Africa has been one of the most exciting, thrilling, depressing and eye-opening experiences of my life so far.
I am 24 years old and have witnessed gun shot wounds, stab wounds, multiple car accident victims, sexual abuse in children and the ultimate killer, HIV/AIDS. Having said this, I have also independently delivered 140 beautiful babies. Working in a country where the rate of poverty is high, doctors and nurses are exposed to a multitude of patients with a variety of illnesses ranging from HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, children with severe dehydration and malnutrition, women with severe complications in pregnancy and unfortunately, abnormal babies.
Although clinics and health care is free for all, the community tend to follow their beliefs with traditional healers. This creates huge upset in the hospitals as women come in with ‘stomach-ache’ when in fact, they are 9 months pregnant and in labour. They refuse to believe this as they have been using traditional medicines as contraceptives.
South Africa is implementing health education programs targeted at the lower classes to give them knowledge on the free health care, the importance of safe sex and HIV/AIDS. Slowly but surely, people are being educated, and perhaps, there is a brighter future in South Africa for future generations.