Anami Sarita Kumari Shahi walks through the night, carrying a backpack on her back, sometimes with the help of a flashlight, and sometimes with the help of locals. Her only goal is to save the lives of mothers and babies.
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Whether it is midnight or a cold winter morning, when a pregnant woman in a remote settlement of Mugu's Soru Rural Municipality begins to experience labor pains, the first name she calls out is Sister Sarita. Sarita Kumari Shahi, a senior resident of Mugu's Soru Rural Municipality-4, walks all night carrying a bag on her back, sometimes with a flashlight, and sometimes with the help of locals. Her only goal is to save the lives of mothers and babies.
Although it is not easy to provide services to pregnant women in remote settlements due to geographical remoteness and lack of transportation, she has worked day and night to save the lives of pregnant women in remote areas by consulting with her friends and solving problems.
Working at the birthing center in Bikat Sip Village, she has been continuously involved in caring for pregnant and postpartum mothers and babies for the past 6 years. The organization's support and Sarita's service have saved the lives of postpartum women who were forced to die prematurely due to the lack of reliable maternity services in remote mountainous areas. Despite the lack of resources and manpower, she is providing safe maternity services to pregnant women in the area. More than just a job, the citizens of the area never tire of praising her for her work in saving the lives of mothers and children.
‘Sarita Madam is our God. She has provided many services to pregnant mothers and sisters here. We, the suffering women, are happy with her day and night service,’ said Govinda Bista, a ward member of Sipa village. ‘Earlier, premature births here used to die. Now Sarita Madam has saved the lives of mothers and children.’ Local women say that despite the lack of health equipment and sufficient manpower, successful maternity services have been provided even in very complex situations due to her skills.
During the 6 years she has been working in the service, Sarita has delivered 469 women safely at the Jima Sipa Birthing Center. Sarita also said that she has checked the health of 1,200 pregnant women. By reaching remote villages, Sarita has also contributed to raising awareness among women about maternity services. She has also raised awareness among women that while giving birth at home, the lives of the mother and the baby are unsafe, going to a maternity hospital is safer.
She has started solving women's problems through health awareness and door-to-door visits to students under the school health program. Earlier, due to the lack of a maternity service center, pregnant women were forced to either give birth unsafely at home or go to the district hospital a day away. 'Since Sarita Madam came to the maternity center here, the pregnant women have been greatly relieved, the lives of the mother and the baby have been saved,' says Ompyari Bumi Double of Sib Village.
Due to Sarita's effective service delivery, she was assigned to the Kalai Birthing Center in accordance with the organization's rules last October. Even carrying a baby on her back, she is dedicated to maternity services. Since coming to Kalai, she has delivered 10 women. Pregnant women from Kalai, Khanaya, and Siddi villages come to the birthing center to give birth. ‘Earlier, more than 75 percent of women used to give birth at home, now all of them come to the birthing center to give birth,’ says Sarita, ‘Women also come for pregnancy check-ups.’
Despite many difficulties in remote areas, Sarita, who is providing services to mothers in labor, says, ‘They come from far-off villages to give birth at night, and they have to get up and provide services.’ Now, the number of women giving birth at home is low. ‘Whenever someone in the village is suffering from labor pains, the name of Sarita Sister comes to everyone’s lips,’ said Parbati Budhayogi of Kalai village. ‘The women here consider her like God.’
Women who give birth at the birthing center receive Rs 3,000 for transportation expenses, Rs 800 for encouragement, and Rs 2,500 for provincial koseli. ‘Even because of this facility, pregnant women from remote villages come to give birth at the birthing center,’ said Sarita. ‘It is not easy to provide services to women in remote places like Kalai and Sip in Mugu,’ said Keshar Bahadur Shahi, vice-chairman of Soru rural municipality. ‘The service she provided has been a great help to the state’s health system.’
