Midwife helps ‘terrified’ Syrians

Harrowing tales of babies dying due to unsanitary conditions and pregnant woman having to endure extremes were encountered by a maternity leader volunteering with Syrian refugees in Greece.

Emma Farmer, head of midwifery at Waitemata District Health Board and Devonport resident, spent four weeks volunteering with Nurture Project International in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.

The non-profit organisation worked with mothers and families who had fled the war in Syria and were awaiting permanent resettlement.

Farmer said the Syrians were very family-focused and did not want the war to take away the opportunity to have children, despite it not being an ‘‘ideal’’ time to have a baby.

For example, an eight-month pregnant woman had to walk for eight days to get to the relative safety of Thessaloniki. Another mother travelled on an eight-hour train ride to Athens when her baby was just a day old.

Farmer’s volunteer work included encouraging and supporting mothers to breastfeed, as the insanitary conditions in refugee camps meant there was a risk of death with bottle feeding.

Farmer also supported mothers before and after birth, even though she was not able to help during delivery.

‘‘The Greek hospitals did not let anybody in, even the partner. The women were terrified; it was very Third World.

‘‘We did manage to get an Arabic translator in for one.’’

Farmer said the Greek government closed the refugee camps due to the unsanitary conditions and put the refugees into apartments, where families felt very isolated.

Being able to help with families’ social care was the highlight of Farmer’s volunteer work.

‘‘It was an absolute pleasure going into people’s homes and sitting down and talking with them; it’s such a privileged position.’’

Farmer responded to a Facebook post advertising the volunteer post, after seeing news stories of the Syrian refugees and wanting to do something to help.

it took two people to replace her position at Waitemata, where she leads 150 staff and 200 selfemployed midwives.

Farmer encouraged anyone considering volunteering to do it, saying it improved skills and increased appreciation.

SUPPLIED Emma Farmer says volunteering to help Syrian mothers and babies in Greece was a privilege.