Happy Father’s Day From FAME!
A Dedicated Father Ensures the Safe Delivery of His Twins
New dad, James, poses with his twins at FAME's Maternity Ward.
FAME's Nurse, Nuru, shows James how to hold the twins. "It's so hard to hold both at the same time, but I'm learning!"
"My name is James* and my wife is Lucy*. We live in Babati, a town 100 miles from FAME. We have one child, a five-year-old daughter. Two years ago, our second child, a boy, died two days after birth.
It was devastating. Nobody told us what went wrong. One minute we had a healthy child; the next, he was gone.
When Lucy fell ill last year, the hospital told her she was pregnant with twins and thus considered a high-risk pregnancy. I immediately knew I had to find my wife the best possible maternal healthcare and save my children's lives, especially due to our previous experience where she did not feel supported during her second pregnancy and the resulting child’s death after birth.
I asked around our town and people kept mentioning this hospital called FAME. However, it was 100 miles away from us, one way. I asked how they could travel such long distances for healthcare, but they assured me the trip was worth it. So I brought my wife to FAME for her first prenatal class.
At FAME, we encountered compassionate staff at the Reproductive Child and Health (RCH) clinic who shared my unwavering commitment to Lucy and the unborn twins' well-being. They made comprehensive care plans, ensuring every step was taken to safeguard my wife's and my children's health. I could see Lucy much happier and hopeful for the first time since she became pregnant.
“Since ours was a high-risk pregnancy, we had to visit the RCH clinic every month. Lucy asked if we could do the prenatal classes at a hospital close to home and deliver at FAME since making the trip every month was expensive and time-consuming. I disagreed. I vowed to ensure my wife would receive the best possible maternal health care, no matter the distance. Moreover, the hospitals close to us did not have the specialized medical facilities needed for a high-risk pregnancy, nor could they care for the twins should they be born prematurely, which is more likely with twin pregnancies.”
I have a car, so that was half the problem solved. However, I am a farmer and this was during the planting season, which meant I could not afford to lose any time if I wanted the farm to be ready by the time the rains came. Fuel is also quite expensive, forcing us to dig into our savings. Still, all these were a small price to pay for a healthy wife and children.
I am delighted that everything went well and we got two healthy boys. I am happy we decided to come here since Lucy required a C-Section to deliver the twins, complicating the birth even further.
Many of my relatives have twins, so I am excited to also brag about having a set of my own! The boys are heavy and I still haven't learned how to hold both comfortably, but I am sure together with my wife, we will be able to handle this as we have overcome much greater challenges."
James's story is a story of a father's boundless love. His unwavering dedication, financial sacrifices and continuous emotional support embody the essence of true fatherhood. He epitomizes the selfless nature of a father who, without hesitation, sacrifices everything for the happiness and well-being of his family.
A Father Fights for His Baby Girl
Abdalla cradles his six-month-old daughter. "She is my everything."
“My name is Abdalla* and my daughter is 6 months old. She is my first child. She suddenly got ill at night, vomiting every time she breastfed and had diarrhea that would not stop.
We took her to the local clinic, where they gave her some medicine which did not help. The doctors ordered an ultrasound, but after we got the results, they were all busy with other patients and asked us to wait until they were done. But my daughter was getting worse, so I asked if they could treat this as an emergency, quickly interpret the ultrasound results and direct us on the way forward, but they said they were many other sick people and we had to wait our turn.
I knew I had to do something, or my child would die. I forcibly discharged my daughter from the local clinic. The doctor was apologetic and asked me to stay, but they were overwhelmed and could not serve everyone promptly.
I brought my daughter to FAME, where her case was immediately treated as an emergency as it was clear that she was very ill. We had four doctors consulting on her case and I was grateful for this as it showed the seriousness with which they took her condition.
The doctors decided that she needed emergency surgery and the surgeon sat with us, explaining how this condition threatened her life and the need for operation. My wife and I decided to follow his advice and my daughter has since recovered and is back to her usual self."
“As I grow in my role as a father, I am more aware of the importance of being heavily involved in my daughter’s life. In just six months, I can see how my presence and involvement in all aspects of her life have positively aided her development and well-being.
On this Father’s Day, I advise every father to become involved in their children’s lives. Don’t just leave everything to Mama!”
*The patients' names have been changed to protect their privacy and permission was secured to share their story. The quotes from the first interview have been translated from Swahili to English. The second Interview was conducted in English.