“To keep my baby safe from COVID- 19 exposure, I preferred Home Delivery to Institutional Delivery but I was wrong.  Mrs. Ganga Magrati is thankful to our CBRF for guiding her about the possibility of safe delivery amidst the COVID- 19 turmoil.”

As the entire world is under the grip of COVID-19 pandemic, Community Based Rehabilitation Facilitators (CBRFs) in Sunsari-Morang, are busy to identify pregnant women with approaching expected date of Delivery to support them adapting the strategy of Tele ANC/PNC under Nepal Government’s Interim Reproductive Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (RMNCH) Guideline during COVID- 19 for promotion of safe delivery. As their names suggest, CBRFs are locals with health background, primarily deployed by local government for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in their own communities in addition to fulfilling the gaps in maternal and neonatal health services.

During the identification, one of the CBRFs found Ms. Ganga Magrati who was pregnant. Her Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) is on 21^st of Shrawan 2077. The dread of visiting hospitals during Covid 19 has led her not only to change her birth plan, she even missed her last ANC visit. She feared that her baby might get infected from Corona virus due to which she left visiting health institutions.  Ms Magrati is an example who paints the picture of many pregnant women in dilemma caused by COVID-19 chaos. However, the CBRF visited and consoled her for safe birth plan and needed checkups. Accordingly, with regular follow up and provided counselling, Ms. Magrati safely delivered her baby prior her due date; and both mother and baby are healthy.

 CBRFs are trying their best to reach as many mothers as they could prioritizing the mothers with nearest EDD.

When people go beyond their primary job responsibilities and fulfill their responsibilities as member of the community, it can have a powerful and positive impact on the society.