Works toward ensuring better maternal health and reducing infant mortality in marginalised tribal communities across 23 hamlets in the Kutch district of Gujarat.
Children’s overall health in Kutch has always been a matter of grave concern due to lack of awareness and health facilities. The region is arid and drought-prone, and due to the constant migration of parents for a livelihood, the children’s development is affected. The area has a high infant mortality rate and poor ante-natal and postnatal care.
To address these issues, the project GSS team is working toward creating awareness of ante-natal and postnatal care for women and encouraging institutional deliveries, ensuring regular health check-ups and immunization for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
During the COVID lockdown and the resulting loss of livelihoods, Pramila Ben* and Hansa Ben* were worried sick about the well-being of their unborn children. There wasn’t enough to eat at home and they were unable to get the nutrition they needed to nurture their pregnancies.
The GSS team had already been working on providing rations to pregnant women and vulnerable children in the area, with their own funds as well as by convincing local suppliers to provide rations on credit – Pramila and Hansa were no different.
In addition to monitoring and meeting their nutritional requirements, GSS also put together a plan for a safe delivery for both women, ensured antenatal checkups on schedule and helped them avail IFA tablets from the ICDS center.
Even in these difficult times, timely support by our project teams helped both expectant mothers give birth to healthy babies!
*Names changed to protect identity
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