Yasmeen Manzoor
Srinagar, June 11(KNB): “Being Pregnant is a curse, amid Covid-19,” wretched words from many miserable expectant mothers who allegedly are being harassed by in laws and husbands, forbidden to visit hospitals/doctors for checkup owing to rising positive Covid-19 cases of Pregnant women.
With number of positive cases of Coronavirus rising constantly including a peak rise in cases of Pregnant ladies, many expecting women even those having their dates close are facing harassment by their in-laws, husbands and being asked not to visit doctors for checkup or their deliveries instead to visit a local “Aya”, as whole family is kept under administrative quarantine in case a Pregnant lady tests positive.
“I am only a week apart from my delivery date, unfortunately my in-laws and my husband despite knowing it are forbidding me to visit hospital instead suggest me to visit a local Aya. Not only they forbid me but are harassing me by saying that we were workless from last 3 months and now when it’s time to start the work again and earn some penny if you will visit doctors and in case it came positive for the virus, the entire family’s life will then be at stake,” a pregnant woman who wishes not to be named told news agency -Kashmir News Bureau.
Indicating a rising trend, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a spark spike in pregnant women testing positive for COVID-19 as administration has made it mandatory to test pregnant women ahead of delivery to ensure segregation, majority of pregnant women across the Valley have tested positive till now and are being kept in quarantine centres, correspondingly their entire family is also kept under strict Administrative quarantine till their sample test reports get revealed.
“We are forcefully propelled towards the ancient era in such modern technological span by our in-laws who despite knowing the fact that an Aya can never make it up to the level doctors in the hospital do by performing series of testes, X-rays and other related chores are forcing me to visit her.” a Pregnant woman who tested positive said.
“I can’t understand why my in-laws are doing this, they can’t risk their families life but can put my and my child’s life at stake with an Aya,it seems that Being Pregnant is a curse, amid Covid-19. I humbly request the Administration to contemplate on our issue and help us out to protect our own life and our child’s life.” she further said.
Nevertheless, where expectant mothers are facing harassment on one side, a group of Pregnant ladies from district Kupwara who after tested positive for Coronavirus are kept under administrative quarantine besides their whole family members have been also sent to quarantine centre without even being sampled for past ten days, are worrisome as their delivery date is approaching and none of the family member is going to be with them.
Meanwhile, Doctors are now advising pregnant women to avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres.
Raising concern and ruefulness over the issue, a social activist Bilal ahmad said, “As the hiking positive cases of the virus is noticed in Jammu and Kashmir, nowadays many Pregnant women are also testing positive, along with it a fear has spread mostly in our villages that all the Pregnant women come out to be positive for the virus.
It is very unfortunate that this mindset now clutches the Pregnant women facing harassment through their in-laws.”
“Government should ponder upon the issue and raise awareness campaigns so that the life of the pregnant women will be saved who are impelled towards the ancient period in such a modern era,” he further said.
Pertinently, the total number of pregnant women with COVID-19 across Jammu and Kashmir is 232 so far, of these, 79 pregnant women are from south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Kulgam is the second-most affected district in south Kashmir, with 50 cases.
Fears of community transmission have increased as well, as the total COVID-19 cases has a constant spike with 4507 confirmed cases, 2785 active, 1671 recoveries and 51 deaths so far, forcing the administration to declare all Kashmir Valley districts except Ganderbal and Bandipora as red zones on June 7, ahead of the issuance of new guidelines for easing out the lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.(KNB)