Blog 5: Mothers and Babies Dying in Darkness--Nigeria

          In this article, Dr. Laura Stachel describes her time spent in Nigeria on a research trip.  While there, she was surprised at my of the things she observed, one main thing being the lack of electricity during childbirth.  Stachel was watching physicians perform an emergency C-section on a patient when the power all of a sudden went off.  Luckily, Stachel had a flashlight so the doctors could proceed with the operation.  But, if Stachel would not have been there, the procedure would have been stopped.  In Nigeria, even when mothers are distressed and having complications, doctors have to post pone birth procedures until the next day or when the power comes back on.  This bothered Stachel as many mothers and babies are put at severe risk from preventable problems.  Their lives literally depend on adequate electricity in these situations.  Midwives in Nigeria use all sorts of makeshift lighting during births like kerosene lanterns, candles, and even cell phones.  Stachel stated that this was not adequate lighting for maternal care.  Nigeria is one of the 10 most dangerous countries where women give birth and the infant mortality rate is a high 4% (before babies are 28 days old) compared to the United States' 0.4%.  Stachel went home and talked with her husband, a solar energy educator, about adequate ways to provide electricity to hospitals to prevent these risks.  Her husband created a "solar suitcase" for her to bring back to Nigeria to demonstrate the idea.  The doctors in Nigeria were shocked and grateful and insisted that Stachel leave the kit because they could use it to save lives right then in there.  During this time, funds were being raised in the US for this project which is well underway.
          This article is important because it is showing the great potential of helping underdeveloped countries grow in their technology all while benefitting others and potentially saving many lives.  The two "solar suitcases" Stachel provided that one hospital in Nigeria can save thousands of lives.  Our world today is not on the same level of advances and those in need should be guided towards creating new technologies.  Stachel is raising funds in the United States in order to provide for the doctors in Nigeria.  Here in the United States, we do not realize how important electricity is because most of us are used to utilizing it in all aspects of our lives and most parts of the day.  There are countries who still use other forms of lighting such as candles and lanterns and that is what they depend on.  It is a great thing that Stachel and her husband are working towards and hopefully more people can help other countries in order to provide them with what they need for sustainable healthcare and lives in general.

Jessilyn Bulla
March 3, 2013
4:25 pm
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/28/health/cnnheroes-stachel-solar-power/index.html?hpt=he_c2