by Jennie Goutet, HOPE worldwide
March
9, 2002 was a monumental day in Somaliland as the first nonprofit, teaching
maternity hospital in Hargeisa opened at 9:00 a.m. After four years of planning
and construction, the Vice President, Dahir Riyale Kahin, cut the ribbon and
led the procession into the hospital to tour the Operating Theatre, Maternity
Ward and Pediatric Ward.
The
opening of Edna Adan Maternity Hospital is a victory. The site once used as
a mass killing field during the civil war for independence (1988-1990) under
Siad Barre's reign, is now a haven for bringing new life into the world. Currently,
it is estimated that ten women die each day during childbirth. One out of every
eight children dies before they reach one year of age, and one child out of
every five won't reach the age of five. The hospital presents a hope that these
statistics will soon change for the better.
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The first baby, delivered
the following day
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The first proud mother
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In the first month, 74 patients delivered babies, one mother already saved from a certain death due to hemorrhage. One caesarian section was performed successfully on March 16, with mother and child both doing fine. With the crisp appearance of the wards and the sterile, modern equipment in the operating theatre (thanks to the donations of the hospital's supporters), patients are sometimes reluctant to go home. They are confident that all their needs will be attended to by the team of dedicated workers at the hospital.
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Celebration following the
ceremony
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Edna Adan Ismail has reason to celebrate. The child of a prominent doctor, her dream for helping the sick began at an early age. She has poured her life and savings into seeing this hospital open, and is rejoicing at its success. It's not the first hospital she attempted to build; the first was in Mogadishu (1984 to 1988) and was taken over when civil war erupted and regretfully was never brought to completion. The Edna Adan hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland is a true testimony to Edna's perseverance and dream to help her people fight to live free of disease and sickness.