East Nusa Tenggara was still facing aftershocks when health services\nat Aeramo Regional Hospital in Nagekeo Regency had to be moved to\nemergency tents. The hospital building was no longer adequate. A number\nof pieces of equipment were damaged and the electricity supply was cut.\nAmid these conditions, doctors, midwives and nurses remained on duty to\nserve patients in need of help.<\/p>\n
Two deliveries took place under the emergency tents. There was no\noperating theatre with complete facilities. There was no lighting as in\nnormal conditions. All that was available was equipment that could still\nbe used and medical staff working with every limitation.<\/p>\n
Obstetrician Dr Paramita Sari said the conditions at the time meant\nthe deliveries had to be carried out in the emergency tents. \u201cWe all\nsurrendered to the limitations. There were earthquake tremors, then all\nthe equipment was damaged, the building was inadequate, and our\nelectricity was cut. So the delivery process was indeed carried out in\nthe emergency tent,\u201d said Dr Paramita.<\/p>\n
One of the most tense deliveries was experienced by Maria Florida\nNoko Kelen. The 39-year-old woman had to undergo an emergency caesarean\nsection around two months earlier than her estimated due date. At the\nsame time, aftershocks were still occurring.<\/p>\n
Obstetrician Dr Yona Sara Pardede handled the operation. The baby\u2019s\nbreech position made the delivery require even greater care. The baby to\nbe born weighed around 1.3 to 1.4 kilograms. In the middle of the\noperation, earthquake tremors were still being felt.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the middle of the operation there were still many earthquake\ntremors. The bed was also not easy to raise and lower. The baby was\naround 1,300 to 1,400 grams and was in a breech position,\u201d said Dr\nYona.<\/p>\n
Under these conditions, every action had to be carried out carefully.\nThe breech position meant the birth required a special technique to\navoid injury to the baby. \u201cIf a baby is born breech we have to go\nslowly. Meanwhile an earthquake could happen at any time. We were afraid\nthe legs would break, the arms would break. We were also afraid of a\nneck injury,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Amid the situation, Dr Yona could only pray while continuing the\nmedical procedure. \u201cGod, please. God, help me,\u201d she said, recalling the\nsituation during the operation.<\/p>\n
The operation was eventually completed. The premature baby was born\nsafely weighing around 1.3 kilograms. The birth became an unforgettable\nexperience for both the family and the health workers who handled it.\nThe baby was later named Gempita, taken from the word \u201cgempa\u201d\n(earthquake), which formed the backdrop to the birth.<\/p>\n
For Maria Florida, her child\u2019s safety was inseparable from the health\nworkers who remained at the hospital when the disaster situation put\neveryone at risk. \u201cThe building had collapsed. At that time I actually\nthought about saving ourselves individually. But the doctors, midwives\nand nurses remained loyal to those of us in need,\u201d said Maria.<\/p>\n
The other delivery also took place under the emergency tents. With\nlimited facilities, health workers continued to provide assistance until\nthe baby was born safely. Maria said she was grateful that the midwives\nand doctors did not abandon her in the emergency conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cPraise God, the midwives and doctors did not leave me just like\nthat. They really helped me in an emergency situation, under the tent,\u201d\nshe said.<\/p>\n
At Aeramo Regional Hospital, emergency tents served as both treatment\nrooms and the place where two births took place while the earthquake and\naftershocks still loomed. Amid damaged facilities, power cuts and\nlimited equipment, health workers continued to carry out their\nduties.<\/p>\n
Two babies were born safely. One arrived earlier than expected and\nwas born by caesarean section while the earthquake was still shaking.\nUnder those emergency tents, new life began as health workers raced\nagainst time to ensure that two mothers and their babies made it through\nthe disaster situation safely.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-babies-born-under-emergency-tents-as-earthquake-shakes-ntt-1787215913", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }