Blog Archives

Bouncing baby girl delivered by c-section at Mercy Hospital

4/27/2021

Musu was at term and in beginning labor when she came to Mercy Hospital, but due to her tiny stature, her pelvic structure was too narrow for her healthy baby girl to be delivered. An emergency caesarean section was ordered, and the baby safely made her entrance into the world. Mother and baby received post-operative care and were discharged in good health. "Thank you for being there when I needed help!" she told the surgical team.

"Prolonged labor can occur when there is disparity between the fetal head and the pelvis," Dr. Aruna Stevens, who performed the surgery, explained. "The passage might be inadequate, or the passenger's head might be too big." We're glad Musu's baby had a safe journey into life!

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Mercy Hospital treats child with sickle cell disease

4/27/2021

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Hassanatu, aged 9, was rushed to Mercy Hospital early in the morning with generalized pain and high fever. The child was screened and assessed, revealing that she was suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD), a genetic condition that can be fatal if left untreated.

Dr. Aruna Stevens placed Hassanatu on appropriate drug treatment, and her condition quickly improved. Her mother received important information about diet and environment, with an emphasis on sleeping with a bed net, as malaria had worsened her condition. Hassanatu had been missing school, and was grateful that she would be able to return.

Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide, with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease may be significantly underdiagnosed, due to a lack of health resources and access in places like Sierra Leone. In sub-Saharan Africa, 50–90% of children with SCD die before their fifth birthday, while in countries with established newborn screening and treatment programs, over 90% of affected children survive well into adulthood (Oxford Medical case reports.)

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