Amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, RDT Kalyandurg Hospital has continued to offer essential services for pregnant women like medical check-ups and assistance in childbirth. Since the second wave hit, the hospital has delivered 982 newborns.

“I have three children, and this will be the second time I give birth at the Kalyandurg Hospital,” says Gangamma. She is in the maternity ward waiting for her contractions to be more frequent so she can be transferred to the labor room. “There are many more women today than there were the day I had my second child, but the nurses and the doctor are treating me just as well, and that gives me confidence,” Gangamma says, nodding in approval.

© Nuria Navarro/RDT

Since May 2021, when India was severely hit by the second wave of the pandemic, the RDT Hospital in Kalyandurg has cared for hundreds of women and delivered 982 newborns. “We have never had so many deliveries in a single month,” says Dr. Jyoshna, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kalyandurg Hospital, with pride. Even in the face of catastrophe, deliveries never stop. There are always many women who need medical attention for a safe delivery so that their lives and the lives of their babies are not put at risk.

With the arrival of a second wave that devastated India, thousands of hospitals throughout the country were designated exclusively for the treatment of COVID-19. This forced thousands of people to travel greater distances to find healthcare. Jayalakshmi was one of them. “I live in Bommeparthy, about 13km (8 miles) from the RDT Bathalapalli Hospital, where I always received monthly check-ups,” she explains. When Bathalapalli hospital was re-designated as an exclusive COVID-19 center, the area team leader of ​​her town contacted Jayalakshmi and explained that the Kalyandurg Hospital would remain open 24/7 with medical professionals who could help with any emergency and answer any questions she had.

© Nuria Navarro/RDT

“I have not had any check-ups since February because Kalyandurg is more than 70 km (43 miles) from my town. To go, I have to catch the bus very early since at noon the curfew begins and public transport stops working,” she explains. She has been feeling well over the last few months as she had been going to regular check-ups at Bathalapalli Hospital before the second wave erupted. There, her trusted doctor had explained everything she needed to do to stay healthy and strong during pregnancy.

“Contrary to what might be expected in a pandemic context, here at our hospital, we have not detected deterioration in the health of pregnant women who have been arriving every day,” explains Dr. Jyoshna. In the beginning, doctors feared that, due to a smaller number of health centers available and the mobility restrictions that make it more challenging to reach them, the health of the women in the area might suffer. However, as the Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department pointed out, before the second wave of COVID-19 arrived, most of the patients had had regular check-ups and already knew which medicines they needed to take.

© Nuria Navarro/RDT

To meet the needs of the women in the Anantapur district who still needed the services of the gynecology department, the Kalyandurg Hospital was reorganized. “We had set up one more waiting delivery room and increased the number of beds in the two other wards that we use regularly,” explains Dr. Jyoshna. The shifts and the distribution of tasks were also restructured, which significantly increased the hospital staff’s workload, as the hospital did not have the personnel to deal with this surge in deliveries.

“Even though there are a few of us, I am proud to say that we are a great team. We have worked very hard and tirelessly to be able to offer the best service to all the women who came to the hospital every day,” says Dr. Jyoshna. Women and nurses were hurrying in and out of the delivery room, handling one delivery after another. Kalyandurg Hospital went from handling over 20 deliveries a day to almost double. “We have delivered 982 babies, and I am very proud of my team, although I would have liked if the numbers had reached to 1,000,” jokes the Head Nurse Vanaja. She told us how happy it makes her that so many new lives have arrived amid this dreadful pandemic.

© Nuria Navarro/RDT

In addition to bringing 982 newborns into the world during the second wave, Kalyandurg Hospital has continued to offer outpatient care. “More than 450 women came for check-ups daily,” explains the doctor. The team had to make sure they cared for all the women in labor while simultaneously monitoring the new moms who visited for health check-ups. “We have conducted deliveries, we have attended check-ups, taken test samples… We are very capable, and we are very strong. And I am happy to see that, together with my team, we can achieve anything,” says Vanaja.

Text adapted by VFF USA