On 10 December a mother gave birth to quintuplets in the hospital run by Ordre de Malte France (Sovereign Order of Malta humanitarian organization) in Djougou northern Benin. The four girls and one boy, weighing some 1.5 kg each at birth, are still being monitored in the hospital’s neonatal ward in stable condition. The mother, initially registered in another facility, had been referred to the Order of Malta’s hospital, the only one in the region capable of managing such a complex pregnancy.
The birth, scheduled for the 36th week of pregnancy, occurred by Caesarean section. Dr Gani, the gynaecologist, and his team did their utmost to ensure that this extraordinary operation took place without complications.
Ordre de Malte France takes great care of its patients and the hospital has covered most of the mother and children’s medical expenses. In the hours following the multiple births, the hospital also provided material assistance to the family, delivering basic necessities (nappies, soap, etc.).
The Order of Malta’s Hospital in Djougou
Opened in 1974 and now part of the local health service, the hospital is a national reference centre for gynaecology-obstetrics, paediatrics and neonatology. Its high-quality equipment, excellent medical staff training and accessible healthcare also make it an important regional structure. It is the only mother and child facility in the region, with an operating theatre, two halls and a neonatal unit with 27 beds and incubators for fragile and premature children. Last year, some 5,000 children were delivered in the hospital and it accepted more than 7,000 patients in the paediatric ward, including 2,000 in neonatology.
There is also an ‘advanced health’ programme which aims to extend the scope of the hospital’s activities beyond its walls to bring healthcare to the population. Hospital teams visit the Djougou city districts and also 20 surrounding villages for gynaecological, prenatal and nutritional consultations. If necessary, patients are then referred directly to the Order of Malta’s hospital with the aim of reducing the infant and maternal mortality rate.
Photo Credits: Yanick Folly (photo of the pediatric reception area); Ordre de Malte France.
