By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their efforts towards enhancing the reduction of infant mortality in the country, Rotary Club of Freetown in collaboration with Palmborbar Rotary Club USA, with support from International Rotary Fellowship of Healthcare Professionals, has on Sunday 15th January, 2022 launched a training program for nurses on Helping Babies Breathe worth 43,000 dollars. During the ceremony 71 birth attendants were trained and certified on Helping Babies Breathe.
The launching of the Helping Babies Breathe Program, that will target seven (7) districts in the country, was held at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), Connaught Campus in Freetown.
Speaking to this medium, the President Elect of Palmborbar Rotary Club USA, who also doubles as a member of Healthcare Sierra Leone USA INC, Pastor Charlotte Israel, described the training as an avenue that will make the difference within the health sector, adding that the Helping Babies Breathe Program is geared towards enhancing the reduction of infant mortality in the country.
She maintained that the infant mortality rate in the country is considered as one of the highest in the world and that 30 percent of babies die on the very first day they are born due to lack of skilled birth attendants.
Pastor Charlotte Israel pointed out that in that regard the Helping Babies Breathe Program is targeting midwifes and everyone within the birthing environment in seven (7) districts in the country in order to train healthcare professionals.
She said that the Helping Babies Breathe Program if it is implemented well will reduce the country’s infant mortality rate to about 50 percent, continuing that as part of the program they will be coming to Sierra Leone to do refresher courses and to also provide equipment for all the centers so they can do the classes for themselves.
She disclosed that during the launch of the Helping Babies Breathe 71 birth attendants were trained and certified on Helping Babies Breathe and that similar training will be held in other parts of the country.
Rugiatu Jiakete Kabba, a Midwife Student at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS)and one of the beneficiaries of the Helping Babies Breathe training expressed appreciation to Rotary Club for organizing the training which she described as very important towards mitigating infant mortality in the country.
She said the training has empowered them with the requisite knowledge in order to help every child given birth to within hospitals, whether breathing or not, survive and not die.
Rugiatu, on behalf of her colleagues, assured them that they will put into practice all what they have learnt during the training in order to address the issues of Infant Mortality in the country.
