Meet Mabinty (25) and her son. She was sent to the Lion Heart Medical Centre by the Primary Health Unit (PHU) in her hometown Mayepoh, because the labour was not progressing. That same day, the 5th of January, our doctors performed an emergency C-section to deliver a healthy baby boy. She was soon discharged and went home, but about a week later she returned. ‘I was afraid. I noticed my foot had swollen’, Mabinty explains.
It turned out the wound from the C-section had gotten infected. This is called a surgical side infection (SSI). The most common causes are patients not correctly following hygiene instructions or an action in the operation theatre that was not completely sterile due to the emergency nature of the surgery. Of course, we try to take all precautions. With planned OT’s, like hernia’s, SSI’s hardly ever happen, but sadly they occur more regularly after emergency operations.
The doctors took her to the operation theatre again to inspect the SSI, which was quite extensive. Since then, the wound has been thoroughly cleaned every day (first in the theatre, later in the ward), and has slowly but steadily improved. But because of the pain & the stress Mabinty was not able to breastfeed her new born baby. This was a big challenge, as she didn’t have money for formula milk. Luckily, due to the generosity of individual donors, LHMC could offer support.
By now, Mabinty is doing much better! The wound is closing, she eats well and she has started breastfeeding. Her baby boy is growing quickly too! ‘I am very happy with the Lion Heart Medical Centre. It is a clean hospital and the doctors and the nurses really take care of me, they take care of me every day’, she says. We hope she can return home soon, where her family and her 5-year-old daughter are waiting.