Life & Health

Women in the Chepang village are reluctant to undergo reproductive health screenings. Even though the women's health volunteers are educating villagers about reproductive health, the Chepang women continue to demonstrate resistance to going through the necessary examinations.

They hardly visit health posts for pregnancy tests.

Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) at Pamdanda Health Post, Richa Hitanga, said, "The Chepang women do not visit here for health checkups. As they do not undergo pregnancy tests on time, they suffer various problems later."

Hitanga added that most Chepang women would not go to the health centre until their bellies expand and others take notice.

"It is mainly because they feel ashamed," he explained. 

The Chepang community is an indigenous community where child marriage is prevalent.

According to ANM Hitanga, the indigenous community needs to be made aware of reproductive health at the school level.

Most women have a similar problem. Maya Chepang from Jaigaira said they do not go to health post until they become five-month pregnant. "I also became a mother at an early age," she said however she was raising awareness against such bad practices at present.

She shared that she was repeating that the daughters-in-law must be taken to the health facility on time for the pregnancy test, otherwise they could face risk- both in mother and child. She also recounted the plight that she lost two children. If she had tested her health condition on time, she could not face the tragedy. 

Shila Chepang has a similar plight. She lost her child as she failed to undergo a pregnancy test on time. She divulged that she, getting ashamed, did not go to health posts despite recurring health problems during pregnancy.

She suggested that not only women but also men must be made aware to ensure timely health checkups of Chepang women.

Against this backdrop, Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality has been conducting awareness raising programme. The Health section coordinator at the rural municipality, Basudev Sapkota, said they were preparing to distribute calcium to the pregnant women at least for four months. Even the ultrasound service was launched in rural areas.

He said that the rural municipality had reached every village to raise awareness and provide health services. As per the federal government’s plan, a plan was afoot o introduce the 'Nutrition for Chepang' programme at Ichchhakamana of Chitwan and the Chepang settlement of Rapti.

Sapkota, however, admitted that it would take more reforms. He pointed out the need for better collaboration and coordination of all sides, including the local levels, to bring about change in the life of Chepang women regarding reproductive health.

- RSS