The countrywide lockdown, triggered by much-feared coronavirus pandemic, has created a serious health threat to the pregnant women who are in dire need of healthcare services.
The closing down of private healthcare facilities, especially in the smaller towns and cities that take care of huge healthcare burden is causing severe implications for those pregnant women who need emergency care.
Denial of healthcare and delivery and child birth services to pregnant women in different parts of the country and the barriers faced by them and their families in the wake of corona pandemic come as a curse to women seeking emergency medical services.
Sarmin Akhter, a school teacher of Jhikorgacha in Jashore district, is expected to deliver infant in the first week of this month. But she is passing days amidst extreme anxiety as she still could not manage doctors in this emergency time.
“I am not able to take services in any government or private hospital due to corona panic. The doctor is not available. No one is responding to my phone call even. My child could be born at any moment. Sometimes I feel pain and it seems to be the time of child delivery. But, still I don’t know where to go for delivery,” said an anxious Sarmin.
Due to corona crises, she is staying at home all the time, at times she feels like a fish out of water.
Millions of pregnant women like Sharmin Akhtar have now been put in extreme health risks. Corona is leading to denial of necessary healthcare services to them.
Normally, a pregnant woman has to undergo a physical checkup at least four times. But at present no one wants to go to the health center for services due to fear of coronavirus infection. Again, many have taken the risk, but they are not getting services due to non-availability of doctors. In addition, most women have to be hospitalized if complications occur during and after childbirth.
On May 1, a housewife gave birth to a baby on a ‘van’ outside the emergency department of Satkhira Sadar Hospital due to not getting services of doctors. When labour pain of Shimuli Rani, wife of Bidhan Das of Chhonka village in Sadar upazila of Satkhira, began her father first took her to private China-Bangla Hospital. But Shimuli Rani could not be admitted to the hospital. Later she was taken to the Doctors Lab and Hospital but she was denied admission there also. Eventually she was taken to Government Sadar Hospital, but no doctor or health worker was found there even after pleading for three hours.
On the night of April 6, when a pregnant woman felt labour pain in Gaibandha, her relatives managed an auto rickshaw and took her to the local mother and child welfare center (maternity hospital). But the supervisor at the center refused to get her admitted to the hospital and sent her back. After the denial, the woman delivered her child on an auto-rickshaw on her way to another hospital.
The day after the incident, another pregnant woman gave birth to an infant on an ‘easy bike’ at Islampur Government College Mor at Jamalpur district.
On the night of April 9, Mahmuda Akhter gave birth to a baby on the street of Gopalpur village in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi.
However, the members of law enforcement agencies have helped pregnant women a lot during this difficult time.
On April 26, Shilpi Rani Pal felt labour pain in her house at Srimangal of Moulvibazar district. Failing to find any vehicle to take her to any hospital, her relatives called ASP Anwar Hossain Shamim, commander of RAB-9 in Srimangal camp. Within minutes, Shamim reached there and drove the woman to the Srimangal Health Complex.
Srimangal Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Sajjad Hossain Chowdhury said that the woman was bleeding during the childbirth.
Commenting on this situation, ASP Anwar Hossain Shamim said, "I received the phone call when I was on night patrol duty. After reached the spot, I found the mother in a very critical condition. She was bleeding, the labor pain was intense. I took her to the hospital. My uniform get soaked in the blood, but I am still happy. The mother and the newborn are well, healthy and safe.'
At 11:30 pm on March 29, an old woman from Rasulbagh residential area on the hotline of Bakalia police station of Chattagram, pleaded-‘My daughter is likely to deliver a baby. There is no car to take her for medical treatment. If you don't do something, we will be put in a danger.”
When Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nezam Uddin was informed about the matter, he sent the police vehicle to Baby Akter. The force rushed the pregnant woman to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
The lockdown panic and crisis are certainly going to affect outcomes for pregnant women. The lockdown may induce irregularities in obtaining antenatal care services which have a potential risk of causing health complications and consequential maternal and child mortality.
