The Asiri Maternity Clinic was founded in 2013 by CWOO founder, Jasmine Keefe, and the residents of Asiri. This rural clinic was the answer to a terrific need in the community. Up until the doors of the new maternity clinic opened, the elderly midwife in the village delivered all of the villagers’ babies on the dirt floor of her home without a formal medical education, supporting nurses or doctors, soap, medicine, gloves or a paper product in sight. Through an apprenticeship with her, Jasmine studied traditional midwifery and discovered a way to help mothers and infants in years to come – through the creation of a safe, hygienic clinic.
Jasmine raised the funds to build the structure, though it was up to the residents to furnish it and bring in a trained medical team. Local elder, Mr. Mfodwo Barnabas, spoke to the Ghana Ministry of Health and they agreed to send trained nurses to be stationed in the new clinic if the residents could furnish the building up to their standards. The villagers banded together to accomplish this. They used the construction funds wisely, and everyone from men and women down to the children helped gather materials, build the structure, and paint it. Mr. Barnabas sought out in-kind donations of hospital beds and other equipment. In time, the structure was completed and ready.
The Asiri Maternity Clinic, which is now part of the Asiri Health Centre, has continued to grow and now has a full-time obstetrics nurse with formal medical training, as well as a team of supporting nurses. The infants of Asiri are now born in a clean, safe clinic with trained staff, though thankfully the positive traditional ways of the midwife are still used in order to promote natural birth.
The clinic’s team still faces a final hurdle to making their complete maternity clinic dream come true: the attainment of an ultrasound machine. Currently, patients have to travel to a neighboring market town in order to have an ultrasound performed. If the Asiri Maternity Clinic were to have its own ultrasound machine, it would be a one-stop-shop, which would be particularly helpful during obstetric emergencies.
Project Costs:
Ultrasound Machine: (32,300 Ghana Cedis) $2,626 US Dollars
Ultrasound Printer: (9,800 Ghana Cedis) $816 US Dollars
Transport of Machine to the village: (2,700 Ghana Cedis) $219 US Dollars
Total Project Cost: $3,661 US Dollars
