Inadequacy of Neonatal intensive care unit in Madesh Province

Aakrita, a 25-year-old woman, lived in the small town of Katrait, Dhanusha district with her 5-year-old daughter. Her husband worked in Malaysia, and she was expecting a baby boy. Unfortunately, there was no hospital in Katrait, so Aakrita had to travel to Ramdaiya to deliver her baby.

On the 26th of Baisakh, Aakrita gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. However, soon after the delivery, she noticed that the baby had some concerning symptoms. The baby’s eyelids were sticking, he had passed stool twice since afternoon, had not passed urine for seven hours, and was crying excessively.

Aakrita rushed her baby to the hospital, where the doctor immediately began to examine him. The doctor found that the baby had signs of dehydration, and he was diagnosed with Asymmetric Growth Restriction (AGA) and Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis (EONS).

The nurses quickly administered medicine to the baby and gave him a cold sponge to reduce his fever. The doctor also counseled Aakrita on proper breastfeeding and advised her to ensure the baby was adequately clothed. The doctor found that the baby’s poor wrapping and feeding mismanagement contributed to his condition.

Over the next few days, the baby’s health slowly began to improve. On the fourth day of admission, the baby’s vitals were stable, and he was ready to be discharged from the hospital.

Aakrita was relieved that her baby was now healthy, but she couldn’t help but wonder why there were so few hospitals in Nepal and why newborn care was still inadequate in many parts of the country. She hoped that someday, no mother or newborn would have to suffer due to the lack of proper healthcare facilities.

Despite the challenges that poor people face, Aakrita felt grateful for the care that her baby received and vowed to take good care of him and her daughter. She knew that being a mother was never going to be easy, but she was ready to face any challenges that came her way.