A mother from the Kunene region says the stars aligned when a delegation from the Japanese embassy and United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) unexpectedly helped deliver her baby after she went into labour last Tuesday.
Kenamunene Tjirambi says she has decided to name her baby Japan because had it not been for the delegation, she is not sure if she would have had a safe delivery.
The unusual moment happened at Otjimuhaka.
Tjirambi, who is from Odoozu village, had gone into prolonged labour while at Otjimuhaka Clinic. The facility is not equipped for deliveries, but many women from the surrounding community and nearby Angola go there for help.
The day Tjirambi went into labour, a delegation led by Japanese ambassador to Namibia Shinichi Asazuma and Unicef country representative Samuel Ocran was visiting the clinic to assess ongoing maternal and child health programmes supported by the Japanese government and Unicef.
Joining the delegation was senior medical officer Dr Magnus Ruta from Opuwo District Hospital and chief health programmes officer Jason Ndahepele. When clinic staff requested support, the visiting medical team stepped in.
Upon assessing Tjirambi, Dr Ruta diagnosed her with a high-risk, prolonged labour and recommended an urgent transfer to Opuwo. Rather than wait for an ambulance, Ruta placed Tjirambi in his vehicle and drove her along the rough 130km gravel road, stopping frequently to monitor her.
Around 68km to Opuwo, at Oruhona village, Tjirambi delivered a healthy 3.4kg baby boy. Both mother and child were taken to Opuwo District Hospital for observation.
Speaking from her maternity bed the next morning, Tjirambi said she felt relief and gratitude.
“Everything was perfectly aligned for me – the doctor, the nurses and the vehicle were there at the right time,” she said through a translator.
When asked what she planned to name her son, Tjirambi smiled.
“His name is Japan. That man from Japan came, and I got help to deliver my son.”
The Unicef delegation returned on Wednesday morning to meet the newborn and gifted baby Japan N$500. Both mother and child were discharged on the same day in good health, Ndahepele confirms.
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