'Need Facility of Home Check-ups'

Q: Are you registered at the nearby Anganwadi Centre (AWC)? Are you availing any benefits from the AWC?

Beneficiary: Yes, I am registered at the Anganwadi since the last four months. I am receiving rice, pulses and soyabean from the AWC every month.

Q: What were your main challenges on taking care of both yours and your child’s health in the lockdown period?

Beneficiary: The biggest challenge is vaccination, which was not being done at all during the lockdown.

No Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) came to the AWC, and that is why I had to go to the Bodhgaya Primary Health Centre (PHC) for the vaccinations.

Another problem was monthly check-ups. These did not happen during the lockdown.

Q: What will help you in taking care of your health, and which the government can provide?

Beneficiary: The Anganwadi is a little far. It would have been better if we could get the Take Home Ration at home, and the facility of home check-ups was available.

This interview was conducted with a beneficiary in Gaya (Bodhgaya), Bihar in Hindi on 15 July 2020, and has been translated.