Happiness in time of corona: Hyderabad records birth of 898 babies amid lockdown

As per the district officials, the data is of all the institutional deliveries done in the government hospitals in Hyderabad, primarily Koti Maternity Hospital, since March 22.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

HYDERABAD: Amid the gloom of Covid-19 pandemic, Hyderabad has recorded the birth of nearly 898 babies in the last 15 days since the State-wide lockdown was announced.

As per the district officials, the data is of all the institutional deliveries done in the government hospitals in Hyderabad, primarily Koti Maternity Hospital, since March 22.

“Over and above these deliveries, there are those in private hospitals. In the remaining eight days of lockdown from April 7 to 15, nearly 1,257 deliveries are due in the district,” said District Health Medical Officer, Hyderabad.

Of the 898 babies born in Hyderabad, 534 were normal births, while 363 were C-section births.

These pregnancies are especially notable owing to the extreme stress and pressure that Covid-19 outbreak has put on the expectant mothers and their families.

The uncertainty of transport, admissions in hospitals and catching the infection itself has put immense stress on the mothers.

“My water broke on April 4. We called an ambulance, but they did not turn up for over an hour. Ultimately, we contacted our neighbour, who has an auto-rickshaw and he got us to the hospital. We were afraid the police would stop us, but seeing me, they allowed us to reach the hospital,” said Suneetha V, a 24-year-old mother, who was recently discharged from the hospital after delivery.

Those who accompany the expectant mothers also face problems. With they being forced to sleep outside the hospital in the absence of transport to go back home, social distancing has become a major concern.

“We have been here for four days and we came here from Malkajgiri. We sleep outside the hospital. We are scared of the virus, but labour is not something anyone can control. Since we are the only family that the mother has, I had to come with my 4-year-old son,” said Mahesh, whose sister-in-law gave birth at the nodal hospital.

Twitter has also been abuzz with several requests from expecting mothers or family members to give them permits to reach hospitals without any hindrance.

IT Minister KT Rama Rao, who has been known for his outreach on social media, has directed his office to reach out to many pregnant women who are stuck in other districts. In fact, the police and Dial 100 facility has come to the rescue of many in this crucial phase.

“It’s a bittersweet moment where though we are petrified of Covid-19, we are happy with a new life coming into this world. If the government gives us a place to stay or distribute food at the hospital, we will have some respite,” said Gopalamma, mother of a woman who delivered at Koti Maternity Hospital.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com