The Women Action for Development (WAD) has expressed concern and discontentment over the untimely demise of pregnant women in Manipur amid COVID-19 pandemic.
The WAD stated in a release that since the hospitals in the state are entirely occupied for treating COVID-19 patients, non-Covid patients and pregnant women in particular, are facing hardships at the most during this time, especially those in the containment zones. The state Health department must take up necessary arrangements to deal with such issues during the pandemic, it stated.
"We truly are thankful to the frontliners for their devotion to help cure the COVID patients but at the same time, doctors must be assigned separately for treatment of non-Covid patients,” it added.
If not, the probabilities of death among the non-COVID patients will be higher than that of Covid patients due to the lack of such urgent medical facilities specially required by the pregnant women for delivery which cannot be stopped or postponed,” WAD stated.
WAD working for the cause of women and children, deeply show concern and sorrow about the death of two women while giving birth during this pandemic namely, Longjam Basanti (34) and Thoudam (0) Malemnganbi, both from Thoubal district.
Announcements under the governmental scheme of women's health which are broadcasted every time at the radio “Angang Unnaba basi di hospital khwai dagi henna phare” (Hospitals are the best place for delivery) needs to be restored amid the pandemic, it further stated adding if not, then the numbers of maternal deaths will increase in the coming days.
WAD also has information of eight pregnant women in Imphal East who may be expecting the delivery in the couple of weeks and months.
“We have been informed by the ASHAS from different districts, that most of the pregnant women belong to really poor families with no proper food and care since they are the daily wage earners and could not work during the lockdown. The state must be inclined to give the other non-Covid patients and pregnant women, specifically, the assurance that they would be taken care on medical grounds,” it added.
WAD urges the government to provide temporary maternity hospitals and special gynae wards at every district which can be accessed by the needy women.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers must be identified in every district and provide them proper supplementary nutrition and other health care essentials, it stated. The medical facilities implemented by the State government to treat the non-COVID patients during this pandemic must be announced. Helpline numbers must be initiated to handle other such medical emergencies especially for the delivery of a child, it stated.
WAD further urged to arrange a well equipped ambulance with a team to meet the needs of medical emergencies and delivery cases as such and to assign separate doctors and nurses to attend the delivery of child and non-COVID patients, it added.
