Only nine days postpartum, Nathan’s* mother travelled in a dinghy from her home in Torobina to Bamio, Papua New Guinea, in desperate search of urgent assistance for her tiny, struggling son. He had been born prematurely at 31 weeks, weighed only 1.2 kilograms, was struggling to feed, and had a temperature of only 32.7 degrees.
A YWAM Medical Ships team were running a health care clinic at the aid post in Bamio, and were presented with the bundle of baby Nathan. Both surprised and abundantly grateful that he had survived thus far, they quickly took action – keeping him as warm as they could and using a syringe to feed him expressed breastmilk, all whilst quickly coordinating his transfer and transport to the nearest district hospital, Balimo Hospital.
When back in Balimo a week later, the team were able to check in on Nathan at the hospital. Not only was his temperature back to normal, but he was being regularly fed through an NG tube, and his health was on the rise. He has since been discharged home, and is on the road to a healthy, thriving childhood.
YWAM Medical Ships is working in collaboration with local health authorities to provide and strengthen the quality and availability of life-saving health care to people in remote communities. Baby Nathan’s story is an example of this partnership in action, bringing together local and international workers to build healthy lives and communities for a healthy nation.
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