A new Beginning
Bibi Amna is 33 years old and resident of village Nao Lakho of the Union
Council Khudabad of District Dadu. The village is about 9 kilometers south of
the Dadu city and lacks basic health and sanitation facilities. The village is in
non-LHW covered area and thus the married couples especially women are
devoid of basic knowledge regarding pregnancy and related issues. There is
only one primary school for both boys and girls.
Bibi Amna, wife of Saifullah Shah, belongs to a conservative Syed family where
counterpart of the male gender is not generally allowed to go out of home.
The village is under the control and command of an influential landlord where
majority works on his land; and so does his husband.
Bibi Amna, despite having some cardiac
problem, mothered 5 children but never
went out of her home for antenatal
checkups or delivery. She was 6 months
pregnant with twin babies when RAF
funded research project on emergency
obstetric and neonatal care was initiated
in Union Council Khudabad. Through the
women CRP’s group meetings conducted
in the village she came to know about the importance of antenatal, natal and
postnatal care and the high risks associated with the chronic disease.
She was referred by women CRP to BHU/MCH center for antenatal care but
later during the follow up visits she shared about her family restrictions. To
that women CRP and social mobilizer talked to his husband and told him about
the dangers that she can encounter during the pregnancy because of her
cardiac problem and twin babies if delivered at home by TBA like all her
previous deliveries. He was further mobilized to take her wife to a health
facility for antenatal checkups and delivery and adopt some family planning
method after the delivery to which he agreed and did take her wife twice to a
private facility.
Bibi Amna delivered her twin daughters at a private facility and at the same
time got herself operated with female sterilization. She shared that though
my delivery at the hospital was a lot easier and safer I have enough number
of children now and I don’t want to risk my life with more pregnancies
especially when my husband’s support is with me. And I am glad that my
husband and I took a right decision for us and our family.