Indus Valley Times

Rayagada (Odisha): In July 2020, Esmoni Sabar, a 22-year woman from the Lanjiasoura community delivered a girl child weighing 3.5 Kg. After seven days, she passed away and her mother-in-law, Gaisang Sabar started taking care of the seven days old child (Amisa Sabar) as one of the 12-member family. They live in Tarbel, a hilltop village in Abada Panchayat of Puttasing MPA which is about 9 Km from the Public Health Centre.

Soon after getting the information, the UNICEF supported Jiban Sampark project staff of South Orissa Voluntary Action (SOVA) shared the details with the Anganwadi worker and jointly made a visit to their house with the ICDS supervisor. The AWW Puspanjali Devi and ANM counselled the grandmother on kangaroo mother care, hygiene practices, proper child feeding, timely immunisation, and growth monitoring. They also briefed her on possible danger signs so that they could access timely medical services if needed.  It was very difficult for the grandmother to take good care of the infant and provide timely food to her as she had to look after the other family members as well. But as regular follow-up continued, the grandmother began to follow the suggestions. Although the ASHA informs the community regarding routine immunisation and village health, sanitation, and nutrition day (VHSND) sessions, mandatory home visits of theidentified vulnerable child or risk mother are done as a part of project. Hence the project staff as per the joint plan with frontline workers visited her on previous days to ensure that the child receives timely immunisation and growth-tracking based on which necessary interventions could be made. By the time the child was 6 months old, the family was given Rs. 3,000 through Mamata scheme and Annaprasana of Amisa was done and the AWW explained complementary feeding process to Gaisang Sabar who followed the suggestions. 

The most difficult of time was during pandemic when there were transportation and mobility restrictions and the grandmother had to walk about 4 Km to the immunization and VHSND point to get services. Even though it was risky for the project staff and frontline workers to make home visits, constant engagement with FLWs helped Gaisang Sabar understand and follow COVID-19 protocol which helped her protect herself and the child.

Today Amisha is 17 months old and is an active, healthy child who always scores well on the plotting scale in Mother Child Protection Card.  Although for the initial six months she has remained borderline ‘normal’ child regarding her weight, necessary care, regular follow up, counselling and timely support of the project staff and FLWs has helped her overcome her disadvantages and grow into a child with normal weight.

The AWW says, “Amisa’s grandmother and all her family members listened to my suggestions and took care of the child since her birth. They consulted us whenever required. I am very happy that the girl survived, and she is in good health now.  I am thankful to Jiban Sampark team for their support”.

Gaisang Sabar says she was initially unsure if Amisa would survive.

“After her mother passed away, I did not how we would take care of her and what we would feed her. However, the AWW, Gaon Kalyan Samiti members and SOVA kept on guiding me. Today I am happy to see Amisha in good health”. Amisha’s father echoes the thought. He says: “After losing Amisa’s mother, I was completely shattered. I always worried how I would be able to take care of Amisa but my mother and all my family members supported me. Even the AWW and others gave me the right information which helped me take care of her”.

Picture: Grandmother encouraging Amisha to play