NRHM : Tamei child says something else
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 03 2008: 'Health for All' is one of the objectives of the 20-point programme of the Government of India and towards achieving this goal, steps are being taken up under the National Rural Health Mission to ensure health for all by 2012 .

However, in the remote Konphung village of Tamei sub-division in Tamenglong district, birth of a disabled child in the family or inability of a woman to conceive is being looked down upon as a curse on the woman for her sin.

The kids do not lie !

Situated at a distance of 133 kms from Imphal along the border of Manipur and Nagaland, Konphung is a small hamlet of just 168 households.

Deep in superstitious belief, all these years the people of this remote village have been believing that the birth of a disabled child in the family or physical deformity of the child after birth due to one reason or the other, birth complication or death of a child after being born or the mother while giving birth is being considered as curse for the sin of the woman.

With the villagers trying to eke out their living from agriculture and fishing activities from Barak river and lack of proper road and bridges compounding to their struggle for existence, there is no awareness on pre and post-natal care of the pregnant mothers and their children and immunisation of children is still out of the picture.

For a child to be taken for immunisation to the nearest health centre which is the Primary Health Centre at Tamei sub-divisional headquarters, the parents have to shell out atleast Rs 80 per person as fare for travelling.

This is inspite of the fact that Tamei sub-divisional headquarters is just 20 km away from Konphung.

Absence of all these essential health care facilities have been affecting the health condition of the mother and their children, yet the women are getting all the blame.

In such a social environment, 3 years old Paminkaibou, son of Achangla and Mailelabou who was born with cleft chin, and 11 years old Thoiliu, daughter of Achiyaliu, who has been affected with poliomyelitis, have been living with the 'sin' of their mothers imposed on their young shoulders.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, young Thoiliu who has not been able to go to school and other public places due to constant jeering of others, innocently said, 'People said that I have become physically deformed because of the sin of my mother.

I feel there would not have been any problem if we have gone to the god at Churachandpur and prayed for forgiveness of our sin'.

Her mother Achiyaliu informed that during her pregnancy of Thoiliu, she had not visited any doctor for medical check up nor offered any medicine to her daughter after the birth.

As Thoiliu could not stand up on her own even after three years of birth she had taken her daughter to the health centre at Tamei.

At the advice of the doctors at the health centre, she again took her daughter to RIMS where the doctors informed that her daughter had been affected with polio.

Inspite of suffering from physical deformities, Achiyaliu informed that her daughter has not received any support and benefit from the side of the State Government.

Achangla, mother of 3-year old Paminkaibou, said that as her son is still very young, he knows nothing about his cleft chin.

But she is worried over what would happen when he grows up and starts going around with friends.

Mother of three children, Achangla further disclosed that although she has given birth to three children, she had never visited any doctor for medical check up.

Grandfather of Paminkaibou said 'since the days of our forefathers, it is believed that birth of a disabled child in the family is due to the sin of the mother.

But I do love my grandchild and feel very sad'.