Maharashtra: Life moved on, but nightmares continue for mothers

BHANDARA: Anger and disgust are visible on the face of Sangita Dhurse (25), a resident of Srinagar village in Bhandara district, as she recalls the January 9 fire tragedy in the Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU).
Yogita, whose one-day old baby boy was among the 10 deceased newborns, complains about the rude behaviour of the medical staff at the SNCU that night. “I don’t want to get pregnant again,” she says, as her husband Vikesh and 4-year-old daughter look on.
Yogita had been trying to overcome the trauma.“But at times, that night keeps flashing before my eyes,” she said.
More or less, Vandana Sedam too faces a same situation. It took her some treatment and counselling for the next three months to accept reality. “I couldn’t sleep. My asthma aggravated and I used to have a headache for many days,” said Vandana.
She had been to her marital home in Ravanwadi village since May 2020 and delivered in January 2021. Her husband Mohan works in a company in Palghar where the couple now lives with their 6-year-old daughter. Once recovered, Vandana returned to Palghar in June last year. A test was done on the ashes to confirm her seven-day-old baby’s identity. “Himaat nahi ho rahi fir udhar jane ki (Don’t have the courage to go there again),” said Vandana over phone.
Vandana, six-month pregnant, has been advised bed rest and plans to deliver in a Palghar private hospital only.
The Dhurse and Sedam couples had received a of total Rs8 lakh compensation under different financial schemes. “Half of it has been fixed in the name of my daughter. The rest we invested in buying a 4-acre agricultural land,” said the Dhurses.
The Sedams have fixed the entire amount in the name of their 6-year-old daugther.
Both, Yogita and Vandana were unanimous in blaming the hospital’s medical staff for their negligence beside accusing them of concealing the demise of their babies.
“We were told our kids were safe. They lied to us though we kept asking where were the babies. The staff told us babies were removed from the SNCU,” said Vandana.
Echoing Vandana, Yogita said the government must also now ensure that staff at public hospitals treat them well not just clinically but also morally. “Such a tragedy should never happen again. They did not pay proper attention. I was not allowed to feed my one-day-old baby even once. It was due to their negligence. Even if I plan a baby, I shall better deliver it at home,” she said.
Watch Bhandara tragedy: Hospital renovated, parents still reeling through trauma