April 25 - Ho Chi Minh City to Hue to Dong Ha

Today we woke up in Ho Chi Minh City and tonight we are sleeping in Dong Ha.  After a quick walk up and down the block of our hotel, we had an amazing buffet breakfast and then headed to the airport.  Mr. Phuong of Phuong Tours was amazing:  He met us at the airport last night, helped us schlep our bags (over 200 pounds of printed material and supplies for class), met us this morning, got us to the airport, and negotiated a discount on our extra luggage.  His email is phuongtours@gmail.com if anyone is coming this way.

We arrived in Hue and were met by our driver who brought us to Dong Ha.  We checked in to the Hữu Nghị (Friendship) Hotel.  This will be our home base for the next two weeks.  All three of us were quite tired so napped a little and then Betsy and I walked around for about an hour.  We found a huge traditional market that was closing up for the day, although the restaurant business there was booming.  We then found a grocery store and purchased some needed items:  snacks, instant coffee (two kinds since I was not sure what I was buying), and some interesting candies.

We met Tam Nguyen (our GCSF leader in Vietnam) and went to the home of Nguyet to check out our supplies.  She has been graciously storing our supplies for us, in her home.  Warren ordered the supplies in January as they are shipped from China.  Everything arrived without problem!  Our initial plan was to teach in Myanmar and we have supplies there that were to be donated by LDS Charities.  After our Myanmar plans fell through, I ordered more supplies - some received from the AAP office in Illinois and others ordered from the US warehouse in Tennessee.  Amazingly, the stars were aligned and everything arrived where it was supposed to be!

Tam took us for dinner to the Con Soi Restaurant on the river.  There was a nice breeze, laughing and playing children, and wonderful food.  A lovely walk 'home' completed the day.  Now to sleep all night as we have to leave the hotel at 0700 tomorrow.

For the next 4 days we will be teaching in Vinh Linh, about a 45 minute drive from Dong Ha. Tomorrow we will have a small class and will mentor 6 of our instructors from last year.  One of the things we have realized about the Helping Babies Survive Programs (HBB, ECEB, as well as a couple other programs) is that, like anything else, the more you practice, the better you become.  Last year we trained many traditional birth attendants and 20 facilitators (instructors).  This year we are going to work with 6 of our instructors, having them teach as much as possible and mentoring them. There is really no other educational program where the student takes an instructor course and then goes off to teach alone.

In February, I was in El Salvador working with Glasswing, International.  I taught HBB and ECEB, provider and facilitator courses, to 7 nurses and physicians.  Within the week we had three of our new facilitators teach HBB to 9 Cruze Verde Ambulance volunteers.  This was an amazing experience as the new facilitators could learn from each other as well as refine their teaching skills.  The confidence the three instructors had after teaching the initial course (with me mentoring) was wonderful.

So that is the plan here in Vietnam.  We are going to work with these instructors so that they are really comfortable with the material, hoping this will give them the confidence to make it easier for them to go out and teach others.  In addition, next week we will be doing a refresher HBB course for some of the TBAs that we trained last year.  So, a busy two weeks (with 3 days off in the middle due to holidays here) and a little different from previous HBB/ECEB courses in that Betsy and I will be mentoring new instructors for two weeks.

Morning rush in Saigon.

Shrines found outside of homes and businesses.  Wonderful incense.

Morning rush in Saigon.

Street vendor - great street food here!

Everyone and everything on a bike.

Amazing!

Street vendor and her bike.

Breakfast buffet at the ParkRoyal in Saigon.

Pineapple and Dragon fruit.

Bannanas

Passion Fruit.

Pho

Breads and cheeses

On our domestic flight from Saigon to Hue.

The route from south Vietnam to central Vietnam

Landing in Hue

At the airport in Hue

Balance - on the road to Dong Ha

More of balance on the road to Dong Ha

And more balance

Dinner at Con Soi in Dong Ha

Dinner at Con Soi

Dinner at Con Soi

Con Soi Restaurant

Night in Dong Ha

Dong Ha market

Dong Ha Market

Dong Ha Market dinner time

Dong Ha Market

Dong Ha Market

Dong Ha Market

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Grocery shopping in Dong Ha

Turn around in Dong Ha

Helping Babies Breathe

Saving Babies in Central Vietnam

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one million babies die each year from birth asphyxia (eg. the inability to breathe immediately after delivery). The goal of this project is to minimize infant mortality caused by asphyxia in rural villages of Central Vietnam.

Within one minute of birth, a baby should be breathing well or should be ventilated with a bag and mask.  The Golden Minute, taught in ‘Helping Babies Breathe’ (HBB), identifies the steps that a birth attendant must take immediately after birth to evaluate the baby and stimulate breathing.

Imagine being pregnant with your 7^th child - but having no living children because all 6 of your previous babies died within minutes of birth.  This is a common story in developing countries.  Worldwide, approximately 10% of newborns require some assistance after birth.  1% need a full resuscitation but the other 9% can be saved with simple procedures and equipment.  HBB addresses the needs and treatment of the 9%.  Many women in rural central Vietnam do not have access to childbirth in a well-equipped hospital.  Countless births are at home, attended by traditional birth attendants with no equipment and minimal training. 

Helping Babies Breathe is a didactic and skill program developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).  In 2015, 4 HBB Master Trainers spent two weeks training Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) in the basic HBB skills.  We also trained Instructors.  This year, 2016, 2 HBB/ECEB Master Trainers will do a refresher for some TBAs, train 6 more instructors, and will teach Essential Care for Every Baby (ECEB) - another course from the AAP.

For just $30 we can provide each TBA with a $30 re-sterilizable resuscitation bag and suction device.  With just one day of training, the TBA can be taught to assess the newborn and use the equipment to help babies breathe and save lives.

For just $100 we can provide each new HBB Trainer with a newborn manikin, HBB flip chart, a resuscitation bag and a suction device.  These supplies can be used repeatedly so that HBB training can continue and be reinforced in Central Vietnam.

This trip is being sponsored by Global Community Service Foundation (GCFS) and we are grateful for their support and assistance in planning this trip.  http://globalcommunityservice.org/ is the website for GCFS where you can find more information about their programs.  Should you feel called to donate, you may do so on the website.  If you donate and wish your funds to go to HBB/ECEB, please also email info@globalcommunityservice.org and indicate your wishes.  

Thank you to all who have supported this trip - with your financial donations, donations of equipment, blankets, infant hats, and with your verbal support and encouragement.  We are grateful!