KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 6

Despite the prohibitory orders in place, Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Thapathali, has not witnessed any decrease in the number of women visiting the hospital for maternity service. At least 70 pregnant women from Kathmandu valley and other places visit the hospital on a daily basis, said the hospital’s Co-director Sri Prasad Adhikari.

However, the number of pregnant women visiting the hospital for regular health check-up has declined, he said, adding, “About 20 to 30 pregnant women deliver babies on a daily basis. Approximately, 6,000 pregnant women visited the hospital for regular check-up last month, which was around 40 per cent less as compared to normal days,” he said.

Reluctance on part of the private hospitals to admit pregnant women due to the surge in coronavirus infection have encouraged pregnant women to visit the hospital for maternity service.

“Some private hospitals have been sealed following detection of coronavirus cases. This has also caused a rise in the number of pregnant women visiting the hospital for the service,” added Adhikari. “General people have a belief that government hospitals provide service despite the adverse situation. This has also played a role in this case.” In the last fiscal, 22,400 pregnant women had visited the hospital for maternity services.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 7, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.