Customized Care Ensures a Healthier Newborn

“If I hadn’t come to the health clinic here, I wouldn’t have been prepared for what having a baby would be like. My baby was born early, so there was a great risk that there would have been many complications or worse, I could have lost her,” explained Hosiana Hotay.

Last Fall, Hosiana, 21 years old, from the Bendu area of Oldeani, came to our Rural Community Health Clinic with abdominal pain. After a check up and some tests, Africanus John, our head Clinical Officer, determined Hosiana was pregnant. In an effort to ensure she felt as safe and supported as possible, our health team explained the ways in which we assist and empower expecting mothers throughout and after pregnancy. After hearing from our team, Hosiana was eager to join the prenatal program that TCF offers in partnership with our local hospital, Foundation for African Medicine and Education (FAME).

Being such a young mother, Hosiana was uncertain of what to expect during pregnancy and felt unprepared for motherhood. Africanus worked closely with Hosiana, her family and the doctors at FAME to ensure that Hoisana was able to take full advantage of the prenatal program and support offered. By taking the extra time to counsel Hosiana on prenatal care and with regular communication, Africanus was able to help Hosiana build her confidence. 

Dedicated to ensuring that every member of our community gets the care that they need, Africanus assumed the role our health team regularly takes on as medical case managers, supporters, and advocates. 

In the months leading up to her delivery, TCF also provided Hosiana with transport to her monthly prenatal program visits, ensuring that she did not have to walk three hours to receive the care and education she needed. During these visits, Hosiana would receive a general health screening and learn about everything from the birthing process to how to care for a newborn. In May of 2021, Africanus received the call from Hosiana that she was going into labor. After quickly organizing transport, Hosiana arrived at FAME where beautiful baby Glory was born. Reflecting on her journey into motherhood Hosiana shares, “at first I was scared and afraid, but the counseling and support I received from the clinic [at RVCV] made me feel comfortable and it’s because of this that I was able to attend regular checkups and make it to the end. Now I have a healthy baby girl and I am proud to be a mom.” 

Our dedicated and compassionate health team creates a welcoming environment for all patients attending our Rural Community Health Clinic. By taking the time to understand the specific conditions of the 20 patients we see every day, we are able to provide custom medical care which allows us to keep our community strong and healthy. 

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