SEEING BABIES AND MOTHERS LIVE IS NURSE CHRISTINE OTAI’S JOY READ BELOW HER STORY

By Richard Wetaya

Dark ominous clouds had enshrouded the horizon, as me and

my boda boda (commercial motorcycle rider) hastened for Kiwoko hospital, in Nakaseke District.
At length, the skies let loose a heavy downpour half way through our journey.
We were forced to seek shelter at a nearby school.
Hours dragged by but eventually the rain subsided.
Upon our arrival, the hospital’s gates creaked open. The guard on duty was clearly cognizant of my visit. Brimming with excitement, he ushered me in.
I was in Kiwoko hospital to interview Sister Christine Otai, a venerable nurse, who in 2010 was one of three nurses honored with the first International neonatal nursing excellence award, at the International conference for neonatal nurses, held in Durban, South Africa.

By all accounts, it was Otai’s trailblazing exploits as head of Kiwoko hospital’s maternal and neonatal departments that got her nominated and eventually garnered her the award.
Otai kept did not rest on her laurels after the award; she kept working assiduously and bringing more change to bear at the hospital.
The expert treatment and care of premature and sick infants at Kiwoko improved a great deal, on account of Otai’s devotion to high risk deliveries, professional neonatal resuscitation techniques, complicated intensive therapy and her painstaking guidance to student nurses, practicing in the hospital’s neonatal and maternal wards.

Under Otai’s supervision, Kiwoko hospital rolled out the Kangaroo mother care initiative, the safe motherhood project and other pivotal neonatal health interventions.
The Kangaroo mother/father care initiative is a radical method of care for low birth weight and preterm infants. It involves infants being carried with skin to skin contact.
The safe motherhood project on the other hand aims at promoting the health of pregnant women and educating them about pregnancy related complications, amongst other topics.

As a result of the above initiatives, there has been a significant improvement in maternal health coverage at the hospital.
There has also been a considerable reduction in the number of women presenting with pregnancy related complications and in the number of low birth weight infants being born at the Hospital.

Otai says 5% of 1 kg babies born at the hospital, are getting saved because of the improved care, feeding and treatment.
The resuscitation programme Otai introduced has also helped many newborn infants especially those suffering from birth asphyxia breathe easier.

With a reputation earned, it seemed only inevitable that Otai would win another award.
She was nominated for the 2014 International Midwife Awards held in Prague, Czech Republic on the 3rd of June.
Though she did emerge winner, she remained philosophical.
“I was a finalist. That in itself was an achievement. What brought more joy and satisfaction to me was the fact that the adjudicating panel unequivocally recognized my work. There were two winners and Iam glad one of them was from Uganda,Sister Agnes Kasaigi. When i set out to work, it is not always awards Iam thinking about. I have a heart to serve. It is more like following what my heart is dictating. Seeing babies live and mothers having healthy and sound babies is what motivates me,” Otai says.

WHEN SHE STARTED WORKING IN KIWOKO

Otai started working in Kiwoko hospital in 1989.
Nakaseke like the other districts in the Luwero triangle were still recovering from the effects of the Bush war.
“After training and qualifying as a midwife from Ngora Fredacarr Hospital, Soroti then, I worked in Anaka hospital in the present day Nwoya district. After a while I moved to Gulu hospital before I eventually came to Kiwoko. I did not know anything about Kiwoko. Coming here was something of a Godsend. There was little semblance of normalcy in the area’s health care sector. Everything seemed to be in a low ebb. Majority of the area’s expectant mothers were having babies using unsafe traditional birth methods,” Otai says.
 
As a result, there were many cases of obstructed labour and mothers presenting with ruptured uteruses. The infant survival rate in Kiwoko and surrounding districts like Nakasongola, Masinde, and Luwero was grimly low.
“Mother and babies were dying day in, day out. Pregnant mothers were naively relying on traditional birth attendants. Many dyed in labour as a result. A new lease of life dawned in 1998 however when Kiwoko hospital, under the auspices of the ISIS group, an international development organisation, introduced a radical clinical programme to provide specialised newborn baby care and intensive neonatal care. Part of the package was maternal health care training,” Otai says.

The upshot was that more mothers began coming to the hospital to give birth.
Cases of birth asphyxia at the hospital also drasticallywent down.

At present, there is an 86% chance of survival for all babies born at the hospital. Improved resources and the expert care of Otai and her staff have made this possible.
Otai says she handles and cares for 30-40 babies on a daily.
“I dedicate my time to babies, even coming in at late hours to help out. I also have to make sure that my nurses have the right attitude as they shoulder their responsibilities.  Invariably, I move out in the communities following up on babies who are not brought back by their mothers,” Otai says.

Last year, 2,908 pregnant women were admitted and received expert ministrations in the maternity ward.
2,045 babies were born in the ward, as a result.
743 premature babies were admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital.

The neonatal intensive care unit treats over 750 premature and sick infants.
The maternal ward delivers more than 2,000 babies annually.

THE TINGES OF NURSING, STARTED MANIFESTING EARLY FOR OTAI

“Growing up, babies took my fancy, a great deal. My younger siblings often basked in the glow of my care. It felt good caring for babies from a young age,” Otai says.

Casting her mind back, Otai recalls cutting out old boxes to make improvised aprons, akin to those worn by nurses.
Otai’s mother invariably encouraged her to pursue her passion.
“My mother played a momentous role in motivating me to become a nurse. She encouraged me to go to nursing school. The story of Edith Cavell, a heroic British nurse killed in the line of duty in Belgium during the first World War was an inspiration as well,” Otai says.


RELATIONSHIP WITH MOTHERS

There is evidently good rapport between Otai and many of the mothers who come to Kiwoko hospital. She has gotten into many mother’s good graces by virtue of her work.
“The attitude of many mothers in Nakaseke and Luwero changed significantly after the hospital in conjunction with the ISIS foundation, introduced that radical clinical programme. Because of the unprecedented work we have done, many mothers have been appreciative. On top of our ministrations and treatment, we have offered them free health education, principally on why it is important to breastfeed, to observer proper hygiene and to give their babies proper nutrition. Majority of the mothers we have cared for have been heeding our requests to bring back their babies for treatment,” Otai says.

LEASONS LEARNT

A nurse gives life. Serving different people, especially infants is like serving God.
“Through the course of my work, I have learnt to cherish the virtues of compassion, hard work and patience. Being a born again Christian just makes it the better.
As a midwife, I owe it to myself to save lives, not only of newborns but also of other people in need, especially mothers.  I have deduced with time that if a midwife is not keen on her work, the life of a mother and her baby are at risk. Life is precious, so i try as much as possible to save lives. When the save the children people called me congratulating me on my award, I was more than exhilarated. I did not expect it. Many people had told me I was doing great work but I always told them I was just doing my duty.  Through it all, I learnt that hard work pays,” Otai says.


WHO IS CHRISTINE OTAI

Sister Christine Otai was born on the 25th of May 1956, to Otai Zerubel and Evelyn in Oteten Parish, Ngora District. She was the third born in a family of 6.
Notwithstanding the narrow circumstances the family faced, Otai’s dad was able to provide unwavering sustenance to the family.
Otai is a single mother. She lives with her 30 year old daughter and a 23 year old adopted boy, whose mother died whilst coming to give birth at Kiwoko hospital.
The father of the child reportedly brought the boy to the hospital and disappeared.
Sister Otai adopted the baby.


EDUCATION

Because her father was a rolling stone, Otai says she never kept at one school in her primary.
“My father was a teacher. In my primary days, he would move a lot and we were compelled to move with him. I joined Bukonte Secondary school for my O levels and later Kumi Girls School. It was from there that I joined Ngora Fredacarr hospital for my midwifery training,” Otai says.

LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK

Otai says she does both small scale and large farming. She grows maize, beans, mushrooms and simsim. “I also make paper beads for sale. I teach young girls in the community how to make paper beads, bread and gardening,” Otai says.


CHALLENGES

Being far away from home is always is an experience that leaves many apprehensive and ambivalent.
Otai says though working far from home has been tough, she has by and large made the best out of her bad experiences.
“With my kind of work, it is only once in a blue moon that you get to see close family, especially those in the village. It is tough but you have to accept it with poise,” Otai says.

In my kind of work, you come across many dampening experiences. One sad experience that has remained imprinted at the back of my mind is seeing this buoyant expectant mother whose name I do not recall, die after we were ambushed by gun wielding thugs on our way to Nakaseke from Luwero. Despite our pleas, they could not let us go right away. It was sad, Otai reminisces.

 

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