We started our journey down the mountains to the south today to the coast, then inland up some more mountains to the village of Beringin. We stopped in Amurang and picked up the health care officer for the village we were going too. The travel time from Amurang was almost 3 hours, on terrible roads, it felt like the village was in the clouds. This village had about 1000 people in it and the closet running water was a 15-minute walk down the hill. The village had a midwife and no doctor. We were taken to the local midwife station. This like Likupang was a government-funded building. We sat with the midwife, who was surprised and happy to meet us. We discussed the health issues of the village, which were mainly malaria and needing healthcare prevention education.
Serious illnesses are transported to Pontak, cost’s 200,000Rph to get there. Which is very expensive, and this clinic is very small and basic. If more serious, they are referred to Manado, its 400,00 rph which for this region is about 4 months wage. Which is impossible for everyone. So people rely on midwife for all illness and birth.
The midwife feels as though she would be able to handle the people in the village if she had the right equipment. We checked out her station, which was so small you could barely fit a full term mother in. Her equipment consisted of a manual Doppler, BP cuff and an ancient scale that you hang from the roof, that’s was not attached. The midwife seemed to have excellent assessment skills, and said she transports anyone before they become to serious for example a mother with pre eclampsia.
Beringin had mass blood survey last year and of the checked 600 people and 71 were positive for malaria. The people of Beringin were very receptive to our clinic and the midwife offered her house for the clinic, and we could also stay there. They have two rooms, could sleep 6. Possibility for tents in the front yard. We saw kids carrying water; they carry it twice a day. This water comes from the mountain.
The village was excited and happy for us to set up one of our clinics here which is great. It was a long journey home, but worth every minute.
