Dead foetus removed after three weeks

Bajura, June 30

A surgery to remove a dead foetus from a woman’s womb was carried out in the District Health Office, Bajura, yesterday.

Gynaecologist at the health office Dr Rajan Neupane said that Mithu Nepali, 32, of Sappata VDC, had been brought to the health facility when she was nine months’ pregnant and was complaining of excessive pain.

Mithu’s husband Paswan said that she had fallen while carrying a heavy load of firewood when she was returning home from a nearby forest some 21 days ago. Mithu was taken to Sappata health post for a check-up two days after the incident.

Paswan said that health workers had assured him that the baby was well, and Mithu would recover soon. “Believing them, I took Mithu back home,” he said.

When Mithu continued to complain of pain, Paswan took her to a health camp at the VDC, where it was revealed in an ultrasound that the foetus had died.

“I immediately took her to the district health office after health workers in the health camp advised me to do so,” he said.

Dhupirup Group under the community development programme loaned him Rs 20,000 for Mithu’s treatment. Almost all pregnant women in rural areas suffer due to lack of good health facility or inability to pay for one.

Family Planning Supervisor Durga Bajgain at the district health office said that pregnant women in villages were at high risk of health complications as they could not afford well-facilitated hospitals.

Similarly, health volunteer Sita BK said that many problems arise due to lack of awareness of the care needed during pregnancy.

“The villagers call local shamans to treat patients instead of taking them to health facilities,” she said.