Motorbike Midwife
Motorbike Midwife
February 15th, 10:00PM @ Campus Theatre (214 W. Hickory)
The documentary, Motorbike Midwife is a portrait of a Ghanaian nurse, Linda Mba, tracking her daily routine, touching on the realities of the local culture. Linda is an assistant midwife. She rides a motorbike to regions remote from clinics to save precious lives.
Doctors are scarce in Ghana; there are no local clinics to just drop into, especially in the northern regions where the population is low. Expectant mothers need to walk more than thirty minutes to find a health-care facility whenever they require medical aid. Consequently, few attend any birth control clinics, thus creating a high rate of stillbirths.
So Linda comes the rescue on her motorbike, crossing tricky terrain, going off the roads and on to the dirt tracks to remote villages. She does weekly visits to each mother’s house, performing her midwifery duties and bringing a wealth of practical advice to them. Furthermore, whenever a baby is about to be born, Linda transports the pregnant women from their villages to the local clinic over long distances. Then, she and her colleagues work cooperatively to deliver babies safely.
Ultimately, the story line of Motorbike Midwife centres on the positive determination of healthcare workers such as Linda mainly, whilst also revealing the very tender, caring human side of her work vis-à-vis her private life. With a resolute will, Linda somehow manages to overcome most of the obstacles she encounters, thus making a compelling story of one woman’s struggle between the risks of her job and personal life.
Film Details
Shorts Program #7
Duration: 24 mins
Director/Producer: Masumi Higashi
