Post-natal healthcare service sees two years of success
The centre was set up in early 2007 to ease the burden on the overloaded hospital. Sometimes women would have to spend five days at the hospital after giving birth, often sharing three to a bed. Thanks to the centre, new mothers can now go home after two days and enjoy post-birth healthcare services at home.
"New mothers and their families are happy with the service since they can go home sooner and it’s more convenient," said Pham Thanh Huyen, a member of the centre’s staff.
Nguyen Thi Ly took advantage of the centre’s services after giving birth at the
"I am more than pleased. My family does not have to travel all over the place to take care of me and my baby, and I still feel secure about her health when doctors and nurses come to check," she said.
According to Dang Thi Thien, deputy head of the Planning Unit of the hospital, the centre currently has four vans with adequate equipment. on average, doctors and nurses visit 40 households every day, sometimes as many as 60.
"This has helped a lot in reducing the hospital’s load," said Thien.
The centre now has seven staff members and four doctors.
In addition to giving home check-ups, nurses also advise mothers on how to best care for their babies. The service also allows doctors to catch health problems in the infants or mothers in time to treat them effectively.
So far the centre has provided healthcare services to more than 2,000 clients. However, the service is only available to clients living within 20km of the hospital.
Families who lived farther from the hospital had asked the centre to expand their coverage, but the city’s traffic conditions made this too difficult, said Huyen.
