In the remote village of Senjitak, 28-year-old Mahre, a mother of three, faced a life-threatening complication during her last childbirth.

Mahre arrived at the Senjitak Family Health House already in active labour. Midwife Sumaia conducted a comprehensive examination. The labour went without any signs of complication.

During delivery, Mahre experienced shoulder dystocia – a condition where the baby's head is delivered, but the shoulder gets stuck in the mother’s body – posing an immediate threat to the baby’s life. Drawing on her skills and training, Sumaia quickly performed the necessary manoeuvres to safely deliver the baby.

Shortly after the successful delivery, another critical complication emerged: postpartum hemorrhage resulting from retained placental fragments. Recognizing the immediate danger, Sumaia again demonstrated her competence and decisive action. She promptly addressed the situation by manually removing the remaining placental tissue. Then, she administered intravenous fluids to stabilize Mahre’s condition and prescribed a course of antibiotics to prevent potential infection.

Mahre was monitored for six hours and received full postpartum care, including checks for danger signs and counseling on breastfeeding, hygiene, birth spacing and newborn vaccination. The care she received was more than medical—it was compassionate, comprehensive, and lifesaving.