Health workers in Duduwa visit new mothers at their homes

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Aug. 24: Health workers at a health post in Duduwa Rural Municipality of Banke district are providing health checkup services to new mothers reaching their homes. 

Health workers at Holiya Health Post of Duduwa Rural Municipality are providing health services to new mothers who are taking rest after delivery.

According to Kamal Upadhyay, in charge of the health post, a team of health workers are visiting the new mothers in their houses to provide health services.

Senior Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Seema Gharti Magar Khan of the Health Post Holia informed that the health workers had been mobilised at homes as the risk of infection of various types of diseases is high among the new mothers and newborns.  

Khan added, “We have started regular checkups of new mothers visiting them in their houses to know about the health condition of both the mothers and the babies. The babies and their mothers may be bleeding, fever and various problems.” 

It has been advised they get regular checkups about nutritious food and iron tablets are also distributed, she said, adding that regular pregnancy checkup services would help reduce the maternal mortality rate. 

Hemanta Sharma, Health Coordinator of the Rural Municipality, said that as per the protocol of the government, health checkups of mothers and babies have to be done within 24 hours, three days and seven days of delivery.

Serajun Khanam, a postpartum mother, said that it had become much easier after the health workers started providing them with health services at home. “The fear regarding the health conditions of both baby and mother has also been reduced after the health workers started visiting us at home,” she said. 

Narendra Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Rural Municipality, said that under the safe motherhood programme in Duduwa, the service has been started at the doorstep of the new mothers and newborn babies. Duduwa Rural Municipality has become active in reducing maternal mortality rate through the basic maternal and child care programme. 

Chairperson Chaudhary said that the service had become very effective when health workers reached the homes of the new mothers to know the health condition of the newborn babies and new mothers.