Download Resource - Healthy Newborn Network

“Transport is a major problem. If we cannot arrange
for the transport to take the newborn to a doctor then
we leave it to Allah.” (Karakh, Khuzdar)
“Our elder women make herbal medicines at home
and we use them first. If it doesn’t work then we go
to dai or mulla. In severe cases we take the baby to
a doctor but only if we can arrange for transport.”
(Husband- Ferozabad, Khuzdar).
“Usually people take their babies to the mulla. There
are no doctors, no medicines and no trained health
care providers here except for the LHW who comes
home and gives advice or some medicines which are
not enough. There is no transport and women and
children die here and we just see” (IDI, MIL- Huramzai,
Pishin).
“There are no facilities here. If the newborns do not
breathe or if oxygen is required for premature babies
then there is not facility. They are to be taken to
Quetta city and babies die halfway as no transport is
available” (IDI, LHW- Killi Machan, Pishin).
“Transport is the main problem which hinders people
from taking their newborns to doctors in time” (IDI,
LHW- Faizabad, Pishin).
“There is no facility here as such and mostly we take
our babies for dum darood. We cannot go to the city
because the city is at a distance of 2 hours and there
is no regular transport as well. One has to hire a
vehicle for 1,200 rupees. Moreover, one has to pay
doctors fee at the hospital. We cannot afford this”
(FGD-Landiwah, Lakki Marwat).
“We do not have any facility here. The patients are
taken to the city on a donkey cart, whether they are
saved or die halfway” (IDI, Dai-Saleh Pat, Sukkur).
“When we go to the hospital the patient dies in
midway because the hospital is very far and at night
we cannot even find a rickshaw” (IDI, Husband- Badal
Bakus, Sukkur).
to go out…….if the poor has money s/he also goes for
treatment.” (FGD –Taunsa, DG Khan).
Mostly, the idea of need for care seeking for
neonates is initiated by mother and the final
decision is taken by husband or mother-in-law.
The opinion of mother is given some importance in this
regard.
“Mother-in-law and husband take decisions. Mother’s
opinion is taken but her opinion is not as important as
that of the father” (IDI, Mo - Shakir Town, DG Khan).
“Mother is the most worried person. She tells her
husband or father-in-law and then they give money
and she takes the baby to a health facility” (FGD-14/3,
Jhelum).
“Men decide everything. Sometimes women tell their
husbands or they tell their mothers-in-law. The custom
is not to decide on our own.” (FGD- Zeedi, Khuzdar).
“My husband decides about everything and asks for
my opinion as well. No one in our family opposes to
take the newborn for care” (IDI, Mo- City One, Pishin).
“We tell our mothers-in-law and then they accompany
us. Nobody stops us now-a-days because people have
become aware now and they are educated. The poor
also know that if the treatment is not sought in early
stages the disease deteriorates and it costs more” (FGD-
Sarai Narung, Lakki Marwat).
“The mother tells the husband if the newborn has
some problem. The newborn is taken to a doctor only if
the problem is severe. Husband decides where to take
the newborn for treatment.” (FGD- Saleh Pat)
Going to faith-healers for warding off evil eye is a common
practice in both urban and rural areas as most of the
people take their newborns with or without a disease to a
faith-healer.
It becomes apparent that in all districts, money is
the most relevant factor for the family while
making a decision on whether or not to take
the neonate to a health facility and while selecting
the facility among those available to them.
“It depends on money, if one has more s/he can afford
SAVE THE CHILDREN l 47