Historic Vessel Vega

In rural East Timor where health services are few and far between it is often the local midwife who not only brings babies into the world but also assists with child & woman's health - doing stand in duty as the community health worker. These are usually unpaid dedicated people whose main concern is the welfare of their community. The realities of their working conditions and what they have to work with are frightening. Try and imagine delivering a baby by candle light without even the most basic implements and medications.

Recently we were ask by Dr. Dan Murphy of Barrio Pite Free Clinic if Vega and our friends could help with this situation. Dr. Dan regularly provides free medical training for rural midwives, as well as health workers, and tries his best to provide them with what basic equipment he can manage. His work is a model of grass roots community health development. That he does all this on almost nonexistent budgets and still sees an average of 300 patients a day - for free - speaks wonders for his dedication. We not only agreed at once to assist, but have set a very ambitious goal of providing all 50 of East Timors midwives with complete professional "Call Out" kits based on Dr. DAns request list. Last year, thanks to a charity sail we did in Dili, we managed to provide him with some of the solar rechargeable lamps needed but many are still lacking.

Together we can do this and make a big change in the rural woman's health services of East Timor. All of what a properly equipped midwife needs will fit in a medium sized shoulder bag or back pack. Here is Dr. Dans list. If you would like to help out you can donate directly through our PayPal account on the www.sailvega.com website marking the donation as "For Midwives" and we will use your donation to purchase outstanding requirements for these kits. If you are in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, or Indonesia and have equipment that will help complete this list please contact us through the "Contact" form on our website and we will send you the appropriate details. Fortunately we have friends in those countries who are willing to accept and store supplies for us until it is time to load them on board.

Now here is the list:

"A book for Midwives: Care for pregnancy, birth, and women's health"
Mobile hand phone for consultations with doctor or to call for help in case of emergency maybe used but should be "unlocked", have a good battery, and be complete with charger.
Solar rechargeable Lamp (15 already delivered 35 more units still needed)
Hemostats
Blunt ended scissors
Episiotomy scissors
Bisturi Tang
Artery forceps
Disinfectant hand soap (Local Purchase)
Umbilical cord clamps (total estimate for 2 years all midwives 5,000 sets)
Lots of gauze and cotton etc (Local Purchase)
1 bulb syringe
Disposable syringes various sizes (5, 10, 15 ml)
1 fetoscope
1 ultra sonic doppler fetal heart beat monitor (small portable battery powered type)
Absorbable suture sets (50 per kit per year)
Needle Holder
Stitch Scissors
Ocitocin injectable
Antibiotic eye ointment
Disposable latex gloves (1 box of 50 pairs per kit per year)
MUAC Tape (LILA)
ARI Timer or Watch
BP set w/ Stethoscope
Thermometer
1 Sturdy water resistant "call out" bag with strap to carry the kit on foot and on motor bike. Ballistic Nylon type with large plastic zippers preferred.