Rescue rolls in for pregnant mothers in Bengaluru

Medical staff conduct medical checks on migrant workers at a construction site near Mayao Hall, Bengaluru on Tuesday. DH Photo/ Pushkar V

Being pregnant during coronavirus times is not an ideal situation. Antenatal check-ups, taking folic acid tablets, getting ultrasound scans, even routine check-ups pose huge risks.

And 19-year-old Gayathri, who is three months pregnant, was aware of the problem. She is registered for antenatal check-ups at Gosha hospital but was unsure of reaching the doctor anytime she wanted.

But her anxiety came to an end recently, thanks to a BBMP initiative. The civic body has set up six mobile medical units at sites where construction labourers are residing for immunisation of pregnant and lactating mothers, supplementing them with iron and folic acid to prevent anaemia, screen high-risk pregnancies among others.

Gayathri had her health checkup done at one such mobile medical unit set up at a construction site in Shivajinagar, near Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital.

“I was given multivitamin and calcium tablets. The doctor said I’m okay,” she said.

Venkatamma, who is 37 weeks and 4 days into her pregnancy, is being looked after by her mother-in-law at NR Colony Maternity home. Her ANC checkup was done in Yediyur.

“I am being given iron tablets and they have attached this drip (IV)," she said.

Rukmini, 23, a resident of Bommanahalli’s Ambedkar Nagar, was checked in Singasandra. “I am happy that I was checked. Going out has been tough during the lockdown,” she said.

Dr Nirmala Buggi, Chief Health Officer, Clinical, BBMP, who is the nodal officer for the initiative, said, “We are sending a gynaecologist and paediatrician in each team. We have selected some areas and have numbers of how many huts are there in the area. Today, we found four pregnant women. All are fine.”

Public health expert Dr Sylvia Karpagam said, "Pregnant and lactating women need additional good quality food to meet nutritional needs of themselves and the baby. This is not being met especially if they are migrant workers."

"They are left out of most social security schemes. They also don’t get the benefits of BPL cards in hospitals if they are from other states. So any complication during pregnancy or for the child leads to enormous economic problems. The urban family welfare centres are functional and are a lifeline for pregnant women. Existing public Maternal health facilities should at no cost be converted to COVID-19 clinics," she added.