HYDERABAD: AS mercury levels have been swiftly falling with every passing night in the city, pregnant women, whose delivery date is due or who are facing health issues, are forced to sleep on marble floors at Modern Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj. The hospital does not provide any blankets or bed spreads.While 52 beds are available at Antenatal Ward of the hospital, over 100 patients get admitted there and half of them sleep on the floor. Officials said that the number of patients have been swelling after the launch of KCR kits.
This has led to scarcity of beds in the Antenatal ward. Either two pregnant women have to sleep on one bed, or they have to find space on marble floors.Pregnant women are admitted at the ntenatal wards if they face health problems such as pregnancy induced high blood pressure, or if their delivery date is nearing.
However, it looks like the issue would get resolved anytime soon. Superintendent of the hospital Dr S Nagamani said that the hospital does not have enough space. “The third and fourth floor of the hospital has been allotted to Osmania General Hospital (OGH). If the issue has to be resolved, we need two to three more wards,” Dr Nagamani said.
As there have been plans to shift some departments from dilapidated in-patient block of OGH, space was allotted to the Petlaburj Maternity Hospital. However, these two floors allotted to the hospital have not been occupied by OGH till date.A 30-year-old pregnant woman, Sunita (name changed) from Jeedimetla was found sitting on the floor along with her family. She was admitted after she faced health issues. Unable to afford the bills at private hospitals, she chose Petlaburj Maternity Hospital. However, with no other option left, the nine-month-old pregnant woman has been forced to sleep on the floor.
“Since we cannot afford paying bills at private hospitals, Sunita has been admitted at the government hospital,” said a family member of Sunita.“I cannot sleep on a bed where another pregnant woman is sleeping. The only other option is to sleep on the floor. I am using a thin blanket which I got from my home,” said another pregnant woman who did not want to give her name.
Nutrition to pregnant women and lactating moms
The importance of providing nutrition to pregnant women and how it effects newborns height, weight etc was discussed by representatives of at least five States and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials at two-day inter-state consultation on ‘Nurturing Mothers, Nourishing Wombs’ organised by Government of Telangana and UNICEF, that started in the city on Tuesday.
Chilling facts
As there is overflow of patients, half of pregnant women at Petlaburj Maternity Hospital sleep on the floor
When temperature dropped recently, the marble floor froze making it uncomfortable for pregnant women to sleep on it
Dr Nagamani said the issue will be resolved only if two to three more wards are allotted
Sources said 462 beds have been sanctioned to the hospital, requests have been filed to allot 200
more beds
‘Non-food components function sub-optimally’
While beneficiaries of Arogya Laxmi scheme thought the nutritious meal has adequate quantity and tasty, evaluators of the scheme found that on the spot iron folic acid pills consumption was poor. The report titled ‘Nourishing Wombs’ was released during an inter-state consultation workshop on Tuesday
The findings point out that the non-food components, particularly on the spot micro-nutrient consumption and family planning counselling, are functioning sub-optimally at ground level