Pokhara, June 5

Naramila BK of Mauja village in Pokhara metropolis, Kaski, delivered her baby at home on Monday night. Though her family didn’t want to take any risk letting her give birth without health attendants, the same was not possible as there was no birthing centre in the village.

Yesterday morning, Mauja Health Post Assistant Health Worker Shiva Giri visited Naramila at her home to make sure the mother and the baby were in good condition. “The baby weighed 3.3 kg and the mother was in normal condition,” said Giri, adding, “We came back after providing the mother with iron pills and an ointment for the baby’s navel.

Like Naramila, most expecting mothers in Mauja have to give birth at home for want of a birthing centre in the locality.

“Some people even take their pregnant family members to Pokhara bearing extra cost, but as it’s quite a distance from the village and people will have to hire a vehicle, many from poor families, just can’t afford it,” said the AHW.

According to Giri, his health post doesn’t have the necessary parturition staff, equipment and physical structure.

“Around 10 women have delivered at home in the past two years in the village, while others had their babies while being rushed to Pokhara. Most women who bore their kids are from impoverished and Dalit families,” said the health post chief Bivek Kumar Barma.

On his part, ward chairperson Sim Gurung lamented the apathy of the metropolis to the need to set up a birthing centre in the village.

“I’ve been lobbying for a birthing centre here, but to no avail. No one, neither the mayor nor the staff at the municipality, listen to me when I ask for a birthing centre in Mauja,” he said.

Pokhara metropolis, Health Division chief Hemanta Sharma said discussions are being held about setting up a birthing centre in Mauja.

“We have birthing centres in eight places outside the hospitals, but we don’t have them in all the remote areas,” he said.