Women benefit from govt’s rural ultrasound programme
Bajura, March 19
Eight long months after she conceived, Birma Thapa of Bajura had the first ultrasound of her foetus this week.
A resident of a remote village in Badimalika Municipality, Birma was aware all along that she had to have an ultrasound, but the distance between her home and the district hospital had prevented her from seeking the service.
“As the district hospital is a long distance from my home, I never dared to make the long haul just to receive the service,” Birma said. “Now, not only do I know about the condition of my baby, but I am also aware what I should or shouldn’t do to keep my baby healthy,” Birma added.
Not only Birma, many pregnant women have benefited from the rural ultrasound programme. The government, this fiscal, brought the programme into operation in each local body across the country.
According to Bajura District Public Health Office senior Assistant Nursing Midwife Lalita Thapa, 76 women have benefited from the programme in Badimalika Municipality alone in the past two months. Likewise, 134 women benefited in the same period in Tribeni Municipality.
The programme has also been beneficial for pregnant women in Himal Rural Municipality, Swamikartik Rural Municipality and Jagannath Rural Municipality, among others, which are miles away from the district hospital.
“We visit pregnant women at home itself. In case the ultrasound finds any complications, we refer the patient to the district hospital,” said ANM Thapa, adding that the programme is being run by the District Police Office in cooperation with local bodies in Bajura.