October 1, 2022

We became aware of the sad state of the Delivery Room in the hospital of the small town of Bardarash. This hospital serves many villages and two refugee camps. 100 babies are delivered here each month.

They only have 3 delivery beds - and all three are missing the lower half that would allow the mother to lay down comfortably on her back while she is in labor as she approaches delivery.

The Delivery Room was bare and missing the most basic equipment to better ensure safe deliveries for both the mother and baby. There were not even any chairs to allow the female family member helping the expectant mother - if labor took hours, then her companion stood for hours.

There were no blinds on the two small windows.

The wheels of the beds were rusted.

The Air Conditioner has been broken for many years and the mothers would give birth in the heat of Iraq.

We are so very happy to report that Latter-day Saint Charities approved our request to better equip this facility making it safe and comfortable for mothers and babies.

Everything was quickly delivered and installed in the facility.

Installation and set up of the radiant warmer to keep the newborn warm.

We were able to add blinds to the windows which had the effect of also contributing to a more pleasing environment.

We are so impressed with the new, full, comfortable beds that allow the mother to lay normally and then convert into a delivery bed!

Each bed has with it a newborn bassinet for the baby to sleep in, a comfortable chair for the mother’s female companion, a stool on wheels for the nurse who delivers the baby, and privacy curtains so the mother can have more dignified surroundings.

Another view of one of the new beds.

LDSC funds provided for a radiant warmer (on right) to keep the baby warm. It also has special lights for treating babies with jaundice. We also provided a CTG (the belt that goes on the mother’s tummy to measure contractions and the baby’s heartbeat), the device for suctioning the secretions the baby may have inhaled during delivery, and a powerful surgical lamp to aid the nurse in suturing. There are no doctors for the deliveries in Bardarash - the nurses and midwives do it all.

LDSC funds also provided what is called The Emergency Trolley - which contains life saving equipment and items should a mother go into shock or hemorrhage.

Our funds also provided a desk and chair for the nurse.

This midwife has delivered babies in the old unit for 35 years.

Here we are with the Bardarash Hospital Adminstrator, the head nurse and her assistant, the hospital engineer, and Eva Said who has brought needed courses to the nurses and midwives here and had alerted us to their desperate situation.

Jim is standing in front of the new autoclave to be used for sterilization that was also provided by LDSC.

Barbara with the head nurse and her assistant. They were so thrilled and overwhelmed to receive the new equipment - which also included a new air conditioning unit to make the room more comfortable.

Jim, Barbara, Eva Said, and the heads delivery nurse in the upgraded deliver room.

Jim and the Bardarash Hospital Administrator.  They were like instant brothers.

This is the plaque that will hang at the entrance to the delivery unit and will be seen by all the new mothers and their waiting families. We are so happy to have been involved in bringing the name of Jesus Christ and the Church to Kurdistan and Iraq.

Jim with the donation plaque.

The plaque will hang at the entrance to the delivery room.

AND…. here is the first baby to be born in the new unit right after we left!

A very healthy baby girl!  We are very excited and feel blessed to have been a part of this transformation.