By Adam Ali.
Benghazi, 8 December 2014:
Doctors and nurses at the makeshift Benghazi Medical Centre labour and deliver unit have seen 806 . . .[restrict]births during the month of November, including 144 Caesarean sections and eight ambulance deliveries. There were ten dead babies, mainly because of premature births.
BMC was forced to open the unit in November, when fighting became so fierce around the Jumhouriya Hospital in the Sabri area of Benghazi that it was forced to evacuate all of its patients, including expectant mothers.
Libyan Red Crescent ambulance helped ferry seven newborn babies, five of whom were said to be in a critical condition, to BMC.
After the evacuation, the only option for pregnant women needing to deliver was to drive to other towns.
In response to the crisis, BMC called on doctors and nurses from hospitals and clinics in and around Benghazi to offer their maternity skills at the new emergency unit. [/restrict]