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Reproductive health organization expands its services to Hawaiʻi Island with mobile clinic

Yasmin Dar
/
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i

A nonprofit is expanding its family medicine practice to Hawaiʻi Island. The Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i will open an office in Kailua-Kona and a mobile clinic that can travel island-wide.

The Mana Mama van is designed to bring care to pregnant, postpartum and birthing individuals who have limited access to hospitals.

"There’s an unmet need for prenatal health education, for childbirth education, for lactation support," said Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies' president Amy Feeley-Austin.

"There’s an unmet need for moms who just need to have the companionship of other moms."

The van is solar and battery-powered with a patient bed, handwashing station, toilet, shower and vaccine refrigerator. It also has fetal monitoring and ultrasound capabilities. The four-wheel drive clinic can move to any area of the Big Island.

At least two patients at a time can be accommodated in the van. Staff can perform prenatal and postpartum visits, "well-mom" exams, reproductive health screenings, infant checks, vaccination administration and more.

As the organization expands its presence on the island, families will have access to a nurse practitioner, doulas, certified midwives, lactation specialists and social service resources.

The Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i has another mobile clinic with 24-7 access on Oʻahu.

Zoe Dym was a news producer at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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