Motherhood in Kashmir’s frozen margins

Srinagar, Jan 27: With fresh snowfall accumulation in most parts of Kashmir, many roads have become unsuitable for transport, isolating villages.

In these villages, snowfall brings a grave danger for pregnant women: being stuck when a hospital and medical attention is necessitated.

Kupwara district is arguably the most challenging region for patients seeking medical care.

The district spans over nearly 2400 sq km, its terrain is rugged, mountainous and with deep ravines, dense forests and high altitude habitations in Keran, Karnah, and Machil.

However, for its population of 10 lakh people, this district has just four gynaecologists.

Two of them work in the Sub-District Hospital Kupwara, one in Keran and one in Sogam.

For women in this district, bearing the brunt of systemic and weather-related challenges comes as an inescapable part of pregnancy.

For months, people living in difficult-to-access areas have to migrate from their homes if a baby is expected.

This not only disrupts the families but also creates additional physical and mental health burdens for the women.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kupwara, Dr Zaffar Akbar, said SDH Kupwara ìremains the mainstayî for maternity care for the entire district.

On whether the hospital ran round-the-clock maternity services, he said, ìWe have a gynecologist available at night.î

However, he did not detail how two gynae specialists run a round-the-clock facility.

In nearby Baramulla district, the terrain creates similar challenges during snowfall.

CMO Baramulla, Dr A G Raina, said the ambulances were being deployed to help people move their patients, including pregnant women, to a ìsafe locationî.

He said 60 women, who had their deliveries expected this week, were moved to the district hospital to avoid an emergency.

Earlier this week, in Kulgam district, 232 pregnant women were moved to a central location to prevent any risk to their lives and to the unborn child during inclement weather.

Although this could ensure uninterrupted access to medical care for these women, thousands of other women continue to risk their lives through the journey of motherhood.

Timely access to care remains a matter of luck.

In remote areas like Machil in Kupwara district, most places in Gurez, parts of Baramulla, Shopian, and Anantnag, heavy snowfall regularly blocks the link roads for days.

According to official data, J&Kís peripheral healthcare system has a shortage of 50 percent of its specialists.

Repeated pleas for stationed gynaecologists in these remote areas have gone unfulfilled.

Beyond weather, the shortages of specialist doctors, including gynaecologists, have severely limited healthcare in rural and high-altitude areas.

Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, acknowledged the issues faced by women due to the shortage of gynecologists.

ìIn our first year, we started working on the shortages of doctors and have referred the vacancies to recruiting agencies. We hope these vacancies will be advertised and filled soon,î she said.

Itoo expressed ìshockî over the lack of action in filling up the vacancies in the healthcare system over the years.

ìIt is difficult to understand and accept this,î she said.