-Yarpea Mah celebrates 300+ babies in 8-yrs, with no maternal death
By: SHALLON S. GONLOR
NIMBA COUNTY — The outgoing Maternal Child Health (MCH) head at the Duo-Tiayee Clinic in Yarpea Mah Administrative District has highlighted her achievements in 8 years.
Mrs. Patience T. F. Zubah described her success over the years in delivering 300+ newborn babies with no maternal death as a milestone achievement.
Over the weekend, Mrs. Patience T.F. Zubah bid farewell at the event organized by Precious B.G. Gaye, the Officer-In-Charge, including staff members of the Duo-Tiayee Clinic and catchment communities.
Held Friday, November 22, 2024, at the health facility, seventeen catchment communities under the clinic bestowed honor on Mrs. Zubah in recognition of her excellence in midwifery service.
The outgoing registered midwife diligently served Nimba County at the Duo-Tiayee Clinic for 8 years since 2016 based on her education coupled with expertise from the Esther Bacon College of Midwifery School in Lofa County.
The momentous occasion celebrated and honored the invaluable contributions of Mrs. Zubah, highlighting her dedication and commitment to the profession in ensuring healthcare services for newborn babies and mothers.
The event was a fitting tribute to the frontline healthcare worker for playing a vital role in providing essential healthcare services to women and newborns at the facility. It served as a reminder of the importance of ensuring that midwives remain committed, dedicated, supported, and empowered to continue their life-saving work.
A highlight of the event was Mrs. Patience T. F. Zubah’s numerous achievements, including her exceptional performance in delivering over 300+ newborn babies and zero maternal complications, including death while in service.
The event brought together esteemed guests and health practitioners, including the District Health Officer, Rancy Larkpor, TTMs, TBAs, HFDCs, CHAs CHSS, and stakeholders, among others.
In a special statement, Mrs. Patience T. F. Zubah cautioned midwives across the country to always be committed and dedicated to making a difference between the life and death of pregnant women.
She further admonished midwifery professionals to seek success in their critical lifesaving role and recommit to strengthening the healthcare system, calling on health authorities to invest in the training and development of midwifery professionals.
She said: “As we celebrate this success at Duo-Tiayee catchment communities, let us also recommit ourselves to strengthening the healthcare system and call on our authority to invest in the training and development of midwifery professionals.”
She expressed excitement over the great honor and high support received from the community people amid challenges and her tireless efforts in providing essential maternal and newborn healthcare services, often in challenging circumstances.
Patience said: “It is a great honor and certainly a success for all my Zoe women. I am delighted for your support and tireless efforts in providing essential maternal and newborn healthcare services, often in challenging circumstances”.
Mrs. Zubah further stressed the essential role of midwives in providing care to mothers and newborns, adding that midwives are a critical link to women and newborn safety.
“I am grateful to God that it is a farewell program that you all came here today to celebrate with me my success. My journey here at Duo-Tiayee Clinic began in the year 2016, January. I came here as the MCH staff at the age of 27 and later gained promotion as MCH head”, said Patience Zubah.
She added: “Midwives are the silent heroes ensuring the health of mothers, newborns, and families. Their dedication makes the critical difference between life and death. For this, they deserve heartfelt respect and recognition,” said Patience Zubah, the outgoing MCH head of Duo-Tiayee Clinic.
Mrs. Zubah is being replaced with Ms. Davietta Blain, a registered midwife as head of the maternal child health department of the Duo-Tiayee Clinic.
She meanwhile encouraged the incoming MCH head, Davietta Blain, to strengthen the spirit of coordination with the community people, including Zoe women (TTMs and TBAs), if she wants to succeed.
“I hope that Ms. Blain will continue to find the motivation to carry out the very important work that I do and be a role model for other midwives and citizens in the community.”
At the same time, the Officer-In-Charge of Duo-Tiayee Clinic, Precious B.G. Gaye,
commended the outgoing MCH head for her unwavering dedication and hard work. Her words of appreciation served as a reminder of the crucial role that Mrs. Zubah plays in ensuring safe childbirth and promoting the health and well-being of mothers and babies at the health facility.
The honoree, Patience T. F. Zubah, will be remembered for her hospitality. “She has long been a champion of maternal and child health, noting the importance of improving healthcare outcomes for women and children at the clinic,” Mrs. Gaye said.
OIC Gaye underscored the importance of midwives in the healthcare system and creating resilient communities, stressing that midwives work under challenging conditions to ensure safe births and healthy families in the area, making the catchment communities more resilient.
For his part, the District Health Officer (DHO) of Sanniquellie Mah Ministry of Health, Mr. Rancy Larkpor, greatly appreciated the outgoing MCH head as she played a critical role in saving the lives of women and their babies over the years without any investigation for maternal death.
“Every day, we are reminded about the realities that face the [health] sector, the statistics that define our maternal mortality rate, and the challenges that our midwives face in their day-to-day work,” Rancy Larkpor, the DHO of Sanniquellie Mah, stated.
About Patience T.F. Zubah
Patience is working to ensure all midwives like her are passionate about maternal health. As a Registered Midwife (RM), her passion has touched the lives of many mothers and their children since 2016, about eight years ago. Because of her work, she is considered a local celebrity in her workplace, Duo-Tiayee Clinic, where every neighbor knows her, children have been named after her, and she is lovingly referred to as ‘Our daughter, Our Ma.’
When she served as head of maternal child health, controlling seventeen catchment communities under the Duo-Tiayee Clinic from 2016-2024, she ensured a successful delivery for 300+ newborn babies as well as mothers to safely bring their children into the world in an area where access to a health professional had once been elusive.
Reflecting on that time, she said, “I feel happy when I am helping someone give birth. I have a passion.” She didn’t stop at safe delivery; she also supported mothers to bring their children to the facility for routine vaccinations and provided access to family planning so women could continue to make the best decisions for their families.
In her service, she strengthened the skills of traditional midwives to avert maternal deaths through skill training. She added: “Skilled midwives are the difference between life and death for many women and their newborns daily.” As a coach and mentor, she works with midwives to strengthen their skills and often reminds them that they are lights for their own families and for the families they support in their community.
