Taxis That Deliver

Dia L. Michels

Bangkok is a wondrous city filled with ancient cultures, stunning architecture - and millions of cars. Traffic can be so bad that often the only movement on Bangkok's roads is drivers hitting their horns. Not only does traffic congestion mean that residents are late for appointments, it also means some women in labor don't make it to the hospital in time.

"Often a woman in labor with her first child has enough time to get to a hospital, but women having their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th children can deliver so quickly, they end up having the baby in the taxi," explains Yuth Nimit, Ph.D., an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at George Washington University and a Senior U.S. Public Health Official who was invited to Thailand in 1996 to help the Thai Government establish Emergency Medical Service Systems.

As part of the Emergency Medical Plan he helped develop, cab drivers and traffic police have been trained to help women give birth. An estimated 300-400 babies each year are born en route to the hospital in taxis and tuk- tuks, the three-wheeled open-sided taxis commonly used on Bangkok's streets.

"By giving the taxi drivers and traffic police some midwifery training - providing them the know-how to catch the babies, cut the cord, and care for the mother - Thailand has established an innovative program that makes a real difference," says Dr. Nimit.

Training classes include a doctor's lecture, a video, and practice time on a plastic doll and woman's torso. Graduates receive emergency kits that include two towels, two pairs of rubber gloves, and a plastic sheet.

The program's benefits go beyond saving lives. Says France Donnay, MD, Senior Advisor for Women's Health at UNICEF, "Thailand's move to train these workers with midwifery skill is not only a novel way of helping women in obstetrical emergencies, but is a major commitment to creating a mother-friendly society."
 
Story Dia L. Michels, photos Breastfeeding.com 1987, 1988, 1991.

About the Author-

Dia L. Michels is a science writer whose articles and essays have appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world.  Her commitment to breastfeeding has come both from her research and from her experience nursing her own children over the past six years. 


You can contact Dia at:

Dia L. Michels
P.O. Box 15348
Washington, DC 20003-0348
202-546-2356-fax
DiaMichels@aol.com

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