In a remarkable display of dedication and ingenuity, a team of six healthcare professionals at a primary health centre in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district successfully assisted a hearing and speech-impaired woman in delivering a healthy baby. The incident, which took place on December 20, highlights the challenges and triumphs of grassroots healthcare in India.
Overcoming Communication Barriers with Care
The 25-year-old woman was admitted to the Kasba Sangaon Primary Health Centre (PHC) in the afternoon after going into labour. An ambulance had brought her to the facility. The situation presented an immediate challenge: the woman's husband was physically challenged and could not assist with communication, and no other relatives were present. Crucially, there was no sign-language expert available at the PHC.
Led by medical officer Dr. Vasundhara Deshmukh, the team had to rely entirely on clinical analysis and gestures. "We were not able to understand what pain she was going through as she was not able to convey it," Dr. Deshmukh explained. The staff physically demonstrated labour positions, such as squatting, to guide the woman. "We had to squat so that she understood how to squat; otherwise, the wrong position may have caused the delivery of the baby in the bathroom," Deshmukh added.
A Team Effort at the Grassroots
After an eight-hour effort, the woman gave birth to a healthy baby at 10 PM on Saturday night. This was her second delivery. During her first pregnancy, she had been referred to the tertiary care CPR Hospital in Kolhapur, which is about 55 km away. This time, travel was deemed inadvisable.
Dr. Deshmukh was assisted by health visitor Uma Bothe, nurses Vidya Bidkar, Urmila Mohite, and Urmila Bhangre, along with ASHA worker Manisha Devadkar. Their coordinated effort ensured a safe normal delivery at the PHC, which typically handles uncomplicated cases and refers high-risk patients to larger hospitals.
Ensuring a Healthy Future for the Newborn
The healthcare team provided all necessary services, including sonography, medicines, and tests, free of cost to the woman throughout her pregnancy. Farukh Desai, the district reproductive and child care officer of Kolhapur, noted the rarity of such a case at the PHC level in his decade of service.
Authorities are now taking proactive steps for the newborn's future. "We are going to screen the baby for congenital anomalies with the help of an ENT specialist," Desai stated. He addressed common parental concerns, explaining that if hereditary factors are involved, interventions like cochlear implants can be performed to help the child hear and develop normal speech.
This heartening incident underscores the critical role of empathetic and adaptable primary healthcare workers in reaching every citizen, regardless of the challenges presented.
