UNICEF supports maternal healthcare services

Al Mukalla (Bashraheel) Hospital is one of the heath facilities that provide maternal health services in the coastal districts of Hadramout, Yemen. The center is supported by UNICEF and receives around 30 maternal health cases every day.

Ashjan is a nurse in the maternal health ward which is supported by UNICEF with funding from the European Union. Ashjan works a 19-hour shift twice a week during which she provides different maternal healthcare services for women.

“What inspired me to choose nursing as a profession was my passion for caring for people. Moreover, my family encouraged me to do it as a humanitarian service”, says Ashjan.

Fatima (left) is a pregnant woman who usually visits the hospital for medical checkups. Ashjan (right) provides the regular checkup for Fatima, including taking her blood pressure and other vital signs.

Ashjan (left) gives Fatima (right) IV Infusion medication in the inpatient department. Fatima feels relieved after Ashjan reassures her that she will be okay.

“We take joy in fulfilling our patients' requests and ensuring their satisfaction during their stay with us. We hope that our efforts are counted as good deeds and that we continue to serve our community to the best of our abilities”, says Ashjan.

Around 25 women deliver at Al Mukalla (Bashraheel) Hospital every day. 

“I gave birth recently and came here today to express my gratitude to the Maternity and Childhood Hospital. The hospital provided me with free medication, tests, and procedures, and I would like to thank UNICEF for making this possible”, says Manal Khaled, one of the patients at Al Mukalla Hospital.

Ashjan (left) and her colleague Manal (right) check the condition of Malan Khaled, a patient at the postnatal section.

“We have come across critical cases in the department here. Sometimes, the patient requires medical attention after being discharged from the operating theater or in a postnatal state that calls for hospitalization”, says Ashjan.

Dr. Ayda Bin Hawam, a Neonatology Specialist, auscultates and provides medical attention to a newborn.

Dr. Ayda says: “A recent case involved a pregnant woman who had undergone IVF after 19 years of trying to conceive. Unfortunately, the baby was born severely premature and weighed less than 1kg. The baby stayed in the incubator for a month during which we provided care and resolved complications related to breathing and inflammation. The parents were overjoyed when the baby gained healthy weight and could breathe normally outside the incubator”.

With funding from The European Union, UNICEF supports maternal healthcare services in about 24 hospitals across Yemen.

“We express our gratitude to UNICEF for the services provided in our hospital which have significantly assisted destitute and sick people. We hope that all departments will be fully supported to include all patients”, says Ashjan.