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According to a report from Germany, only 37% of women in India get hospital or medical facilities. In January 2022, a report in the Health Segment of the Economic Times quoting SRL Diagnostics states that 46% of India’s girls under the age of fifteen are anaemic. SRL Diagnostics has prepared this data on the basis of 8,57,003 samples. These samples were collected from 2015 to 2021.
Both the above data support the fact that women’s health often lags behind in India’s social structure. The health care segment has completely collapsed since the last two years. How did these circumstances affect women’s health care? This special report of DNA Hindi –
The worst effect of Kovid has been on the poorest women
In July 2021, UN Women, making an important comment on women’s health in a Kovid, said, “India suffered a lot due to the second wave of Kovid. The most problems were caused by the poorest and marginalized girls and women. Fighting the battles to survive, they are also gearing up to fight a possible third wave of COVID-19. The lockdown during the COVID lockdown has put a question mark on the availability of essentials like napkins and pads, as well as other essentials.
To take a proper assessment of the situation of women during Kovid, talk to Dr Surabhi Singh, head of Sachi Saheli, an organization working for women’s sexual health cum reproductive rights and health, about marginalized women. As soon as she leaves, she says, “During the lockdown, many women from the poor section of the society were even available essential items like panties. Since most of these women’s shopping is done from haats or weekly markets, due to non-availability of these markets in the lockdown, panties are available for them. Even buying was becoming difficult. Online shopping is often out of reach of women in these communities and they do not have the money to buy from the shops.”
The same thing says Vithika Yadav, head of Love Matters India, an organization working towards sexual rights and normalization of sex. Vithika says, “In many families, the loss or loss of sources of income has a direct impact on the health of women and girls. In poorer sections, where the expenditure on pads or napkins was already considered a wasteful expenditure, the most Earlier, the purchase of things like sanitary napkins stopped. Obviously this put the menstrual health of the girls at risk.”
In the first wave of Kovid, the rate of unsafe abortions in India was very high as all the government institutions responsible for this were closed during the lockdown period.
Vithika Yadav, head of Love Matters India, says that “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) were not included in essential services in the first wave of Kovid. Women and girls had to bear the direct loss due to the supply of contraceptives in the market. There was also a lot of effect. Contraceptive options were not available very much. Due to this, the risk of unwanted pregnancy (unwanted pregnancy) increased at times. Also, due to low supply, there was a problem in getting services on time. All these things have greatly increased the problem of unwanted pregnancies and the associated unsafe abortions.”
In response to this question, Dr Surabhi Singh says that “After the lockdown, many of my patients were inconvenienced in getting anti-natal care ie prenatal care. Many times they were hospitalized prematurely when the hospital was suddenly made Kovid special. Had to leave. Many sexually active girls were not able to get pregnancy prevention on time, due to which the problems of unwanted pregnancies increased significantly.
Regarding the deteriorating menstrual health of girls in Kovid, Dr Surabhi says that during the entire lockdown period, she had many cases of menstrual health. Talking about the non-availability of condoms and pads in the first lockdown, Dr Surbhi says that due to this, the cases of UTI and PID came more than usual.
Domestic violence has had a negative impact on the mental health of women
The National Commission for Women wrote that after the arrival of Kovid, during February to May 2020, the cases of domestic violence in India have increased two and a half times. According to a joint survey by the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health and the World Health Organization in June 2021, women are becoming victims of violence and mental pain in large numbers. In this survey taken among about 30,000 women and youth, girls and women from nine states of the country talked about being victims of verbal and physical violence.
