A thirty-two year old mother who gave birth to her second twin in Lae’s ANGAU Hospital was grateful for a medevac flight that saved her life.
The unbooked mother, Helen Zebedee gave birth to her first twin at Gasam Village on Umboi Island in Tewai-Siassi on Sunday October 06th.
“A village birth attendant (VBA) assisted me in delivering a baby girl at 3am,” the mother said.
“Seeing that I had lost a lot of blood, and that the second baby might not make it, the VBA advised that I should go to Lablab Health Centre so I can be further assisted.”
“We hopped on a dingy and went to Lablab the same day. Nothing much could be done to help me, so I stayed on just hoping that all would be ok. I wasn't feeling too well.”
On Monday October 07th a medevac call out was made to Mountain Area Medical Airlift (MAMA) requesting the transfer of the mother to ANGAU Hospital for further management.
According to the details provided, the mother was in labor, trying to deliver the second baby, the nurse can feel the baby, but it's positioned wrong, which made delivery difficult.
Pilot Jurgen Ruh left early the next day (Tuesday October 08th) in bad weather for the medevac.
“The weather was poor and I had to fly low. The tower was my marker at Lablab to find the health centre and see where to land.”
“We managed top pick up the mother and it was good to see the happy smile on her husband’s face,” Ruh said.
They arrived safely at the Lae Heliport at 8am and the mother was taken to ANGAU Hospital. She delivered the second baby two hours later, however, went into shock because of post-partum hemorrhage.
“I blacked out and that was it. I didn’t know what was happening. I was happy when I woke up to see my second twin, a baby boy. I am so fortunate that I came on this flight, if I stayed at Gasam, I won’t be able to make it.”
During patient follow up on Friday October 11th, the babies were both healthy and feeding well, however, the mother is stable but needs blood transfusion.
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