Sepiso’s narrow escape: A life saved through community support
Sepiso Susiku, a 26-year-old mother of four, faced a life-threatening ordeal during the birth of her third child, an experience that nearly cost her life. Despite the challenges, she had always chosen to deliver her children at home without the assistance of trained medical personnel or local staff.
“It felt like my last day on earth because when things didn’t go well, there was no hope of getting to the nearest clinic in time due to the long distance,” recalls Sepiso.
Like Sepiso, many pregnant mothers prefer to deliver from home due to various factors, including distance, cost, and cultural preferences. Travelling to clinics can be difficult and expensive, and some women find comfort in the familiar surroundings of home with traditional birth attendants.
Additionally, there can be a lack of trust in the healthcare system, leading some pregnant mothers to give birth at clinics. These combined factors contribute to the continued prevalence of home births.
During her delivery, Sepiso experienced severe bleeding and cervical prolapse, which turned out to be a life-threatening situation. Her husband, Salumuki Changa, 40, spent three frantic hours trying to secure transportation to get her to the nearest medical facility, which is 7 km away, as the usual modes of transportation, a bicycle or motorcycle, were inadequate.
Fortunately, Salumuki managed to secure a taxi to transport his wife to the clinic, where she received the necessary medical care that saved both her and her child's life.
“I knew that I would take the blame if I lost my wife or our child for not taking her to the clinic for delivery,” said Salumuki.
At the clinic, Sepiso met Namakau, a Safe Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) member trained by World Vision. Through their interactions at the clinic, Namakau mentored Sepiso and her husband on safe delivery using World Vision's Targeted Timely Counselling (TTC) model. The model prepares mothers for safe childbirth and highlights the importance of early hospital visits.
Sepiso had previously received guidance from SMAGS, emphasising the importance of proper preparation and joining savings groups for emergencies. Following their recent scare, both Sepiso and Salumuki realized the importance of these lessons and vowed never to attempt another home birth.
She and her husband acknowledged the pivotal role that community volunteers play in educating expectant mothers and involving fathers in the maternity process.
This experience not only emphasized the dangers of home births but also highlighted the life-saving impact of community support and education in maternal health.