No Releif in the Orissa Releif Camps: No Doctors or Nurses to attend delivery cases

Pregnant women bear the brunt of Orissa violence 13 Oct 2008, 0319 hrs IST, Anand Soondas,TNN

BHUBANESWAR: The relentless persecution of Christians in Kandhmal, forcing them to remain in relief camps scattered  acroos Orissa , is now presenting a new problem — unsafe deliveries by women. Stranded without access to doctors, hospitals or medical kits, most women are delivering in relief camps with the help of fellow refugees and — if they are fortunate — some anganwadi workers.  But not all have been lucky to be able to give birth. "There have been 10 miscarriages in the past week," said Jyotirmoy Naik in Cuttack. "Nirmala Digal, Mita Digal, Ranju Naik, Padmini Naik, Mithila Naik — all miscarried because there's no help for expecting women at the camps." Jacob Pradhan, a Christian priest, said: "In the last week, three women in Baliguda delivered babies, but all away from hospitals. They gave birth in unhygienic conditions and got the help of anganwadi workers. It's a huge struggle." Rev Prakash Naik, who's active in the Raikia camps, said even if women do manage to give birth, the conditions in the relief shelters are so bad that mortality is a big fear. "Just look around Vijaya school camp and you'll see what I mean. Survival is a huge factor. Water has gathered in dirty, mosquito-infested puddles and people are defecating in the open."   more