RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
The Maluk Timor midwifery team has been focused on building a relationship with the midwives at one of the busiest maternity Units in Dili. The midwifery team attend the clinic 2.5 days a week and provide clinical support. The team have celebrated International Midwifery day with the midwives and were recently invited to the reopening of the Maternity Unit after renovations.
The Midwives and Maluk Timor Midwifery team in the newly renovated Maternity Unit
CONNECTING
This relationship has supported the HIV team to connect to the Midwifery team at the hospital. This connection has led to the midwives receiving training on how to perform and interpret a HIV test. As well as on how to give medication such as Antiretroviral therapy safely to a baby.
Midwife Windy demonstrating how to syringe feed a newborn baby to some midwives at the maternity unit
UNDERSTANDING
Identifying HIV in a pregnant women and connecting her to the HIV department can benefit the woman, her family, her children and the entire community. Identification is the first step needed to start women on Antiretroviral therapy in order to keep the women healthy. Reduce risk of mother to baby transmission and reduce the risk of transmission to the healthcare worker or those assisting in labour and birth
GOALS
For the Midwifery team at the hospital to work in Collaboration with the HIV team with strong and sustainable referral pathways.
Sharing a cake for International Midwifery Day 2019