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In Sierra Leone, Every Pregnancy Is a 'Chance of Dying'
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Outside the open window, next to a filthy and unused sink in the corner, thunder rolled across the hills and the wind picked up into strong gusts. Between contractions, Marah sang a song to herself.
Her husband arrived with a catheter and a urine bag, which the nurses had sent him to out to a pharmacy to buy. He said he paid about $3.
Patients must pay for all the drugs and medical supplies used in the hospital, in addition to fees for delivery -- about $10 for a regular deliver, and $70 or more for a C-section. Some operations are delayed while husbands run out to buy rubber gloves for the surgeon.
"I'm worried about how I am going to pay this bill," said Barrie, 32, who said he earns less than $100 a month making jewelry in a local market.
Marah's pain was increasing, and the nurses rolled her onto her side.
"I am going to die," she groaned. "God help me."
At 8:15, Konteh walked into the waiting room wearing a pair of long denim shorts and reading glasses, with a little sticker still attached showing their strength (+2.50).
He pressed the plastic funnel against Marah's belly again, listening for the baby's heartbeat -- an hour and 45 minutes after he first checked. The door squeaked loudly as a nurse walked in. "Sssh," Konteh said, ordering the noisy ceiling fan turned off so he could hear better.
He changed ears, and pressed the funnel in different places across Marah's belly, while Marah stared off toward the ceiling. Konteh straightened up and looked at the head nurse.
He shook his head.
Marah's baby was dead.
Ten minutes later, Marah climbed onto the metal table in the hospital's operating room. The surgical nurses, who work together as a team with Konteh, had arrived back to work. As they scrubbed themselves to create a sterile environment, a large roach crawled across the floor.
