Handheld Ultrasound Technology to Perform Obstetric Scanning in Southern Sudan

A handheld ultrasound system is small enough to fit into a coat pocket and lightweight for easy carrying in remote terrain. It is suitable for application in a variety of environments including obstetrics as it enables clinicians to evaluate fetal presentation, heartbeat, fluid levels, and placenta location.

The Acuson P10 handheld ultrasound system, developed by Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany), has been selected to perform obstetric scanning in a newly renovated healthcare facility in the town of Yei in Southern Sudan. The P10 will be used in The Martha Primary Healthcare Centre, which currently sees 900 antenatal patients each month.

Southern Sudan has a population of approximately 10 million people but only 10 qualified midwives, meaning there is extremely limited access to clinical care and that it currently has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The P10 will help local staff at the clinic to identify any problems during pregnancy as soon as possible along with any other obstetric problems. In the near future, it may also be used for other procedures.

With instant power-up capabilities, excellent image quality, and a simple user interface, the system aids with diagnostic confidence in remote settings and on wards. "In Southern Sudan, a girl is more likely to die in childbirth than complete her primary education and so we are committed to exploring all avenues that can protect women during pregnancy and their newborn babies,” said Poppy Spens, international health coordinator for the Episcopal Church of Sudan Diocese of Yei. "We chose the P10 because upon research we found it to be a lightweight and extremely portable system. Scans can also be printed onto normal paper, which is a big plus and made it stand out from similar systems that require special paper to print on that would be damaged by the heat.”

"The use of the Acuson P10 in Southern Sudan illustrates the flexibility that portable ultrasound can deliver in more remote communities and outside of what may be considered a traditional hospital environment,” said Andrew Pattison, North West Europe business manager for ultrasound at Siemens Healthcare. "We are very pleased to have been able to help in such an important project and will be monitoring the developments in Yei closely.”

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