Kailali flood: Pregnant and lactating mothers in tough time

TIKAPUR: Hundreds of households have been rendered displaced from their settlement following recent floods in Kailali.
The displaced households were compelled to take shelter on the road, houses and schools to get protected from the calamities.

Among them, pregnant and lactating mothers are facing the toughest time.

Children below two years are also taking shelter on the postal road in Bhajani. They could not sleep well on the road.

Mothers and children are passing through additional troubling times while spending nights in precarious conditions.

Manisha Dhamala, a local of Bhajani, has a seven-month baby. She rushed to the postal road for protection when the flood inundated her house. She was facing unexpected trouble in providing care to her baby on the road.

“Besides breastfeeding, I used to frequently serve diverse nutrient-rich food to the infant at home. Now I have not found food for myself here”, she narrated.

“There is a burning appetite on the one hand and on the other the baby is crying due to scorching hot and unfavorable environment”, the lactating mother shared her painful moments.

Likewise, Deepa Sunar and her one-year-old baby have been residing on the open road for the past couple of days. “The baby used to eat several food items at home. Now no food is available for the minor here. He is crying throughout the night”.

“We are deprived of food right now. It would be great if someone came to help us with ready-made porridge for children in such a troubled time”, she said.

Another female Anjali BK also came to join the displaced people in a hurry after the flood entered into her home. She was completely splashed in the water. Her nine-month-old baby was taken ill may be due to exposure to rain.

“With the water coming to the neck level at home, I managed to escape with the baby. We were completely splashed in the water”, she said, urging the governments to show their presence in the tragic time. “We are finished”, she screamed.

Sanu Pandey, a local of Sonahafata Khallatole in Bhajani, has her two-year-old baby. The baby who used to eat nourishing food from time to time at home had been served noodles and beaten rice since Saturday morning.

“We can tolerate pain but children cannot. The baby was repeatedly telling to go to home but the home was inundated in flood”, she shared, adding, “All clothes are splashed. It is still raining. I am not aware what was taking place at home”.

Health Coordinator of Bhajani municipality Kailash Chaudhary said health workers were deputed on the road to avert further health-related complications among the flood survivors on the same day.

“We are providing health services to the patients of fever, common cold and diarrhea on the postal road”, he said, “Health check-ups and medicine distribution are regular”.

He further shared, “We came to know after field visit that the flood survivors among others are pregnant, lactating mothers and small children. We will pay attention to serve nutrient-rich food to the minors”.

Women, children and senior citizens often face much more trouble than other sections in the disaster and pandemic. It is important to adopt high sensitivity to address their problems during such complicated times.

Women human rights defender Nirmala Kadayat said the status of women and children should be seriously considered while designing and delivering relief packages in disaster time.

“Lactating mothers and pregnant need higher levels of nutrient-rich food. Children need to be served with food frequently”, she stressed, adding, “The special condition of the women should be taken into consideration in relief operations”.

Flood has affected tens of hundreds of families in Bhajani and hundreds of families in Tikapur, Janaki and Joshipur.

-Durga Devkota/RSS