The  Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has one of the highest perinatal mortality rates (babies who die in the first week of life) in the world^[1], in part due to the distance expectant mothers have to travel to find a hospital, and just as significant, the inability of many hospitals in this part of the world to provide essential support to newborns in respiratory distress, the number one cause of death of newborns here in eastern DRC.

Through HEAL Africa partners, Global Strategies and International Ministries, we learned about a group called ‘Vayu Global Initiative’ in the United States (Massachusetts) who through their collaborators at Mass General Hospital and Harvard University, had developed a practical and low-cost CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) ventilator system to save babies dying from respiratory distress. We reached out to them several weeks ago, not long after the devastating attack on the city of Goma which left thousands dead and our hospital overwhelmed, not the best time to ask anyone to come to eastern Congo…but it didn’t seem to sway the team. What seemed impossible for us at the time, wasn’t for God.

“Sure, I think we can do that,” responded Dr. Thomas Burke, the Director of the MGH/Harvard program in Boston. “In fact, two of our doctors are on assignment in East Africa; let me see if they are able to cross into the Congo and get this set up for you and by the way, we can probably give you 8-10 of these new ventilators if HEAL Africa can in turn train other referral centers in your areas to use them.”

The VAYU and Global Strategies teams arrived last week just before Easter and spent six days with our doctors and nurses: three days of training, a day to set up the equipment, and two days of monitoring.  On Easter Monday as they were getting ready to depart Congo and travel back to Kenya, a premature baby was delivered at HEAL Africa with challenges breathing. As the baby’s color was fading (and the visiting team members were packing their suitcases), the HEAL Africa delivery nurses rushed the child into the neonatal intensive care unit and put her on the new ‘breathing machine.’ The response was immediate…color and tone improved, respiratory rate came down, and the baby’s oxygen level markedly improved.

A now healthy baby…and a technology that will be shared and used in one of the poorest and most fragile settings in the world. God made use of relationships, connectivity, and commitment to bring a child from the throes of death back to life. A post-resurrection Easter Monday miracle…one of many we witness, acknowledge, and give praise to in this part of the world!

You are the God who works wonders!  Psalm 77:14

[1]     Kahiririaa, M.J., Namyalo, J., Mubarak, N. et al. Perinatal mortality and its predictors in Beni City, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study. matern health, neonatol and perinatol 10, 14 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40748-024-00184-6