Let 'em die

It was the month of May .
The medical team was making its first visit to this village
after it had been brought into the ambit of our project.
On arrival they set up a makeshift clinic.

After a little while the lady doctor was called by someone
to attend on a case in which a delivery was in progress at that time.
She entered a hut, which was dark and dingy with hardly any ventilation.
On the floor was lying this woman going through the throes of labour.
Around her squatting on the floor were the other older women
who were being of no help whatsoever
except to add to the already cramped setting.

Four years ago the same woman had delivered under the same circumstances
and the child had died within one hour of being born.

In medical terms and conditions,
because of the earlier circumstances,
the baby due to be born is considered
a “precious baby”
and utmost care is taken by hospitals to ensure safe delivery
and subsequent survival of the child.
And yet here was a delivery in progress under the most primitive of conditions
with nothing conducive for survival of the baby.

Our lady doctor assisted in the delivery.
On being born the baby was not breathing.
The doctor quickly resuscitated the baby,
but realised that immediate oxygen was required for survival.
She took the baby, got into the vehicle
and immediately drove about 10 kms
to the nearest Government Primary Health Centre.

For reasons unknown, there was no oxygen there.

The doctor took an immediate decision
and decided to rush the baby to this Hospital,
another 25 kms away.
Here the baby was given immediate oxygen
and placed in an incubator and survived.

The vehicle was sent back to the village
and the mother was transported to the Hospital.

Both, mother and child, are doing well today.

The above incident has been mentioned
to illustrate the sad state of affairs
in our rural villages.

And this is happening in this millenium.

If this is the state of our rural villages,
it needs no big imagination to visualise
the state of affairs in remote,
hardly accessible areas.

Let 'em die?

NO WAY!!

	Let 'em die? No Way!!!
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“They just have to die!” This is an opinion expressed by super specialists on being asked as to what happens to those who cannot afford to pay, for example, for a cardiac surgery. This is a sad, true and succinct statement expressing the ground reality in our rural areas.
		It was the month of May . The medical team was making its first visit to this village after it had been brought into the ambit of our project. On arrival they set up a makeshift clinic. After a little while the lady doctor was called by someone to attend on a case in which a delivery was in progress at that time. She entered a hut, which was dark and dingy with hardly any ventilation. On the floor was lying this woman going through the throes of labour. Around her squatting on the floor were the other older women who were being of no help whatsoever except to add to the already cramped setting. Four years ago the same woman had delivered under the same circumstances and the child had died within one hour of being born. In medical terms and conditions, because of the earlier circumstances, the baby due to be born is considered a “precious baby” and utmost care is taken by hospitals to ensure safe delivery and subsequent survival of the child. And yet here was a delivery in progress under the most primitive of conditions with nothing conducive for survival of the baby. Our lady doctor assisted in the delivery. On being born the baby was not breathing. The doctor quickly resuscitated the baby, but realised that immediate oxygen was required for survival. She took the baby, got into the vehicle and immediately drove about 10 kms to the nearest Government Primary Health Centre. For reasons unknown, there was no oxygen there. The doctor took an immediate decision and decided to rush the baby to this Hospital, another 25 kms away. Here the baby was given immediate oxygen and placed in an incubator and survived. The vehicle was sent back to the village and the mother was transported to the Hospital. Both, mother and child, are doing well today. The above incident has been mentioned to illustrate the sad state of affairs in our rural villages. And this is happening in this millenium. If this is the state of our rural villages, it needs no big imagination to visualise the state of affairs in remote, hardly accessible areas. Let 'em die? NO WAY!!
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