Improving Access to Healthcare in Rural Zambia

On Call Africa has hit the ground running in 2014. Thanks to all of your donations and the dedication of our volunteers we have seen and treated approximately 1060 patients already this year! In addition to our general clinic visits OCA has provided 300 women with family planning, over 200 expecting mothers with prenatal care, and brought under-5 clinic to vulnerable children.

Our doctors from the UK have had a very exciting month this February! A few weeks ago during clinics a woman receiving antenatal care went into labor. Dr. Zoe Wang describes “We jumped into action – lining the floor of our land rover with bin liners, grabbing a birthing kit (sterile gloves and a few pieces of string and blade to cut the cord).  I was lucky enough to accompany the woman, her mother, and the nurse Jenipher and Humphrey (our driver) to try and get to the local health center in time to deliver the baby.  So we bumped along and after about 10 minutes, the expectant mother groaned quietly…’I think I need to push!’ “

“Now fully dilated, waters about to break [we] stopped the car. Jumped out the boot. Quickly tried to get on gloves but the baby was well on her way now. Within a minute she was out, in the boot of our car!“ Dr. Zoe and nurse Jenipher took care of the newborn and mom before dropping them back home. “We stood in front of her small mud hut, the baby was named after me – baby ZoZo! We washed down the car and then drove off back to our clinic with the grandmother, as she didn’t want to lose her place in the queue!”

Never a dull moment bringing healthcare to the Zambian bush! We will continue to update you as we move forward, providing services where they are needed the most, none of which would be possible without the support of all of you!