Project HOPE responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami by sending millions of dollars worth of medicines and medical supplies, and hundreds of volunteer doctors and nurses to provide primary care to those suffering in the devastated region. But the help did not end there. In 2005, Project HOPE began several projects to address health needs in the tsunami-affected areas. In 2007, the Big Lottery Fund provided funding to Project HOPE to conduct a five-year program to improve the health of women, infants and children in Nagan Raya. The results are inspiring.

Routine Check-Up Saves Baby's Life

Padli, a Project HOPE field coordinator, helps conduct monthly weigh-ins of children at community health clinics in Nagan Raya. At a routine weigh-in, Padli examined Zakaria, a young child very underweight for his age. He also noticed that Zakaria was having difficulty breathing and his extremities were blue. Padli immediately referred the baby to a local paediatrician.
 
The baby was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. A surgeon agreed to perform the lifesaving operation on little Zakaria, free of charge, but the nearest hospital with paediatric cardiology capabilities was a long distance from Zakaria’s home. Zakaria’s parents did not have the $5,000 needed to pay for transportation to the hospital and the expense of medicines and living costs associated with their child’s stay in the hospital.

But the Project HOPE staff was unwilling to let young Zakaria go untreated. In partnership with the local health centre doctor, the team initiated a fund raising campaign to get Zakaria and his parents to the hospital. Project HOPE employees contributed 25 percent of the needed money themselves.

On December 11, 2008, doctors operated on Zakaria. He is recovering well, gaining weight and playing happily. “The Project HOPE staff and Nagan Raya District Health Office are very happy that we were able to help save Zakaria's life,” said Dr. Nasar Sheldon, Project HOPE’s Country Director.

Midwife Gains Lifesaving Confidence

Anita is an experienced midwife, in Nagan Raya. Yet throughout her 15 years of practice, Anita has not felt confident in her skills during emergencies occurring after a baby’s birth, especially the life threatening condition of placenta retention, a leading cause of postpartum haemorrhage worldwide.

In November 2008, Anita participated in a Project HOPE and DHO Maternal and Neonatal Health Training for Midwives where she learned more information about emergency procedures and was even able to practice the emergency procedure on life-like models.
 
A few days later, Anita attended to 37-year-old Syarifah as she gave birth to her sixth child. The infant was born prematurely, and the mother suffered from placenta retention. Anita conducted the manual removal of placenta, properly and confidently. 
 
“I feel very happy and thankful for the Maternal and Neonatal Training, as it has boosted my confidence in conducting my midwifery tasks,” Anita said. “I sincerely hope that my skill and knowledge can be applied to my daily profession as a midwife, and to attend to delivery complications.” 
 
See program results in graph form:

Improved child health behaviours

Improved maternal health behaviours