Update from the treasurer:

We are very pleased to report that total donations received or promised for the Maternity Expansion Project are now approximately equal to total estimated costs of this project.  We are very grateful to all of our supporters who have given so generously, and to God for His gracious provision.

There are some uncertainties about the precise final cost of the project because the construction work is still at a relatively early stage, and also due to possible future exchange rate variations.  Any future gifts for the Maternity Expansion Project will be used for this project as needed, or for other similar projects and ministries at the Good News Hospital.

The construction work on the Maternity Expansion Project has commenced and is making good progress.  

A shipping container full of medical and other equipment for the expanded maternity unit left Northern Ireland in late February to be transported to Mandritsara.  The container is taking the slightly longer route around South Africa to avoid the current problems in the Middle East.

Please pray that:

• The construction work will go well

• The shipping container will arrive safely in Mandritsara

• Many more people will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ through the work of the expanded maternity unit.

We will provide further updates from time to time about how the Project is developing.

Hope for women and children in Northern Madagascar

We urgently need an expansion of our maternity unit to be able to continue to offer life-saving care and eternal hope for mothers and babies in Northern Madagascar.

Almost 800 babies are born at the Good News Hospital every year, and that number continues to grow. Our hospital has the only well-equipped maternity unit within a radius of 200 kilometres. For many women and children, the Good News Hospital is the last - and only - hope for survival and a future. In order for us to love and care for as many women and children as possible, an expansion of the maternity unit is urgently needed. Will you support us in this?

The current maternity unit was built in 2007. Since then, thousands of women have given birth here and have heard the gospel - in the only well-equipped maternity unit within a radius of more that 200 kilometres. Only here can they receive life-saving measures such as caesarean sections or blood transfusions. We also take care of severely ill babies who need oxygen, feeding tubes or antibiotics. For many women and children, the Good News Maternity unit is their only hope for life and a future - both medically and spiritually.

MADAGASCAR’S INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE WORLD

For every 1,000 babies born, about 24 will not survive birth - a rate 9 times higher than that in the UK. Many Malagasy women do not have access to safe maternity service and less than half deliver their babies with the help of a trained midwife or receive adequate antenatal care.

At present there is a small delivery room with two beds. However, for hospitals with almost 800 births a year, like the Good News Hospital, four delivery beds are recommended. In the new maternity unit we will have a large delivery suite with four beds. Each bed will have dedicated equipment for mother and baby, like CTG machines and monitors, and other technical infrastructure. The new delivery suite will also provide more space for emergency equipment. These changes allow our women to give birth safely, with privacy and dignity.

Currently, seriously ill mothers and babies are cared for separately, with the mother in the intensive care unit and the baby in the maternity unit. This is not an ideal start in life as mother and child need to be close, for both medical and emotional reasons. For example, being cared for together regulates the temperature of the baby and facilitates breast feeding and attachment. A four bed intensive care unit is planned, where both seriously ill babies and their mothers can be cared for - together. Each bay will consist of an adult bed and a cot for newborns. This ward will be equipped with oxygen, patient monitoring devices, warming machines and other vital equipment so that all those who need it can be cared for in the best possible way.

The maternity unit currently has 14 beds but in order to be able to care for all women and babies in the maternity unit in the long term, we need at least 25 beds. Due to our current lack of space, patients often have to be transferred to other wards without trained midwives or experienced neonatal nurses. It is particularly problematic for sick babies and mothers or those who cannot breastfeed without the help of trained professionals. For women who have lost their babies, it can be very painful to be cared for alongside new mothers on the open ward. Two new private rooms and an additional seven bed patient bay are planned for the new maternity unit.

In the new maternity unit, a second room is planned for antenatal consultations and evaluation. This service enables the midwives and doctors to identify or prevent possible complications at an early stage, and allow for delivery to be planned in a safe way at the right time. Many complications surrounding birth can be avoided through this screening.

In the longer term, we would also like to send more midwives with our community health teams to the villages so that they can carry out pregnancy checks in remote areas with a portable ultrasound machine. For many women, the journey to the hospital "just for an examination" is too far and too expensive. In this way, we can also offer them high quality care during their pregnancy.

Office space
In the heart of the new maternity unit we are planning an open plan office for the midwives. From here they will be able to monitor the delivery rooms as well as the intensive care unit and be on the spot quickly in case of emergency.

Quick transition to the operating theatres
A ramp will be built between the delivery rooms and the operating wing. This will provide direct, fast access from the maternity unit to the operating theatres.

Maternity garden
A separate outdoor area is planned for the Good News Maternity unit. In the sheltered garden, women in labour can move around and rest in privacy. The area will also be available to mothers who, for example, are carrying their prematurely born baby close to their body (Kangaroo Care).

The expansion is planned for 2024 and is estimated to cost £305,000 breaking down into:

• £170,000 for Construction

• £135,000 for Equipment

There are various ways in which you can support us in expanding our maternity unit and thus provide a hopeful future for many women and children.