'Delivering a COVID-19 patient without putting our lives at risk was challenging'

May 06, 2020

On April 3, an expectant mother who had tested positive with COVID-19 was taken to Entebbe Grade B Hospital due to deliver.

COVID-19 | MATERNAL HEALTH

KAMPALA - Judith Namugema, 23, an enrolled midwife at Entebbe Grade B hospital, is playing a critical role in providing obstetric care to women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She assisted a COVID-19 patient and two other suspected cases to deliver their babies.

On April 3, an expectant mother who had tested positive with COVID-19 was taken to Entebbe Grade B Hospital due to deliver.

The following day, Dr. Chris Nsereko, the health workers' team leader, instructed Judith Namugema to be part of the delivery team. Her role was to receive the baby.

Prior to delivery, news had spread about health workers at Entebbe Grade B hospital preparing to deliver a COVID-19 patient's baby and their colleagues were concerned.

"A friend, a medical doctor, wondered how we were going to go about the procedure without putting our lives at risk," recalls Namugema.

"I did not see any reason to fear since we had protective gear. When the time came, I entered the theatre without panic," testifies the jovial young midwife.

Before the C-section delivery, Dr Nsereko briefed all the health workers on how to go about the operation, specifying each one's role. Dr Nsereko describes Namugema as dedicated and thorough.

"She is full of passion and pays full attention to the task at hand," he notes.

"Although the mother was a COVID-19 patient, she deserved the care needed to deliver safely like any other," she notes.

She, however, notes that wearing protective gear for close to an hour eventually became uncomfortable.

After the 3kg baby was successfully delivered, a laboratory technician picked the swab samples before Namugema sucked out the mucus to clear the nasal passage.

Namugema then handed the newborn to Agnes Babirye, another midwife, who handed the baby to his father, who was also a COVID-19 patient and shared a room with the mother.

Namugema later wheeled the mother back to the ward where she joined the husband.

After two days, the newborn's results indicated that he was COVID-19 negative, Dr. Moses Muwanga, the hospital superintendent, says. The mother was later discharged in good health.

Namugema helps more two mothers deliver

Before participating in the delivery of the COVID-19 patient, Namugema had assisted two women suspected to have COVID-19 to deliver.

At about 3:00 am on April 2, Namugema received a suspected COVID-19 case in labour. She monitored the mother until she successfully delivered at about 7:00 am.

The mother was discharged three days later, after her results indicated she was COVID-19 negative.

The 28-year-old mother is all praises of Namugema's dedication. The second suspected COVID-19 patient was brought to Entebbe Grade B hospital after delivery.

Babirye and Namugema stopped her bleeding and took care of and monitored her. She was discharged after 14 days of quarantine, in good health.

Who is Judith Namugema?

Namugema was born to John Bosco Ssekizibu and Maria Goretti Nasaazi in Kyotera district.

She attended St Jude Primary School and Kabale Sangi, Mutukula for secondary education.

In 2013, she was admitted to Nsambya School of Nursing and Midwifery and completed her course in May 2016.

She worked at two medical centres before joining Entebbe Grade B hospital in 2018.

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