This is not the first time we are writing about Juliet….but this will be the last blog we can write for her. A Call from the team member took me back to memory lane…
When we first time met young Juliet (name changed) she was pregnant with severe anaemia and reluctant to go for check-up (Why Juliet is reluctant to visit Public Hospital? https://iphindia.org/why-romeo-is-reluctant-to-visit-public-hospital/). Then we supported her through the pregnancy to delivery (May be it was dead before seeing the world https://iphindia.org/may-be-it-was-dead-before-seeing-the-world/). Not just during delivery in the hospital, also supported when she disappeared leaving nearly a month old baby at home. We got a call from one of the community member saying the baby will not make it if you don’t do something…we were not sure what is that “SOMETHING” we could do at that time!
When we went to see the baby….the baby was malnourished, with severe dehydration and 
grandparents had decided to give the baby away! YES all they wanted was someone to look after that little boy. The sheer poverty and lack of social support can force people to take extreme steps….and added to that the substance abuse by all the elders in the family had not left space for responsibility and emotions. For the first time we witnessed whole community united to save little baby. After one month of intensive care at hospital, the baby was back in the safe hands of kind people in the orphanage.
Few months later Juliet was pregnant for the second time and she wanted to have another child! I was shocked and angry….our advice not to conceive had not helped. But this time she was taking care of herself and was going for regular check-up. “She is matured madam” said field team member. I was wondering with no family support, what will happen to her and the baby this time! What should be our role…many more questions while her baby was growing in the womb! But we didn’t have to do anything this time….Juliet was in critical care unit.
During a spat, a punch from her husband had caused head injury and she was unconscious in critical care unit and husband in Jail. After few days of struggle, doctors gave up…caller from the other side said “sorry madam Juliet died”!
Few months ago Juliet’s mother-in-law also died and the community is requesting to leave her children in orphanage with Juliet’s baby! In less than two years we witnessed the whole family getting dismantled…Juliet’s baby in orphanage is doing very well, the only consolation we have. This is a story of one Juliet but I’m sure there are many more Juliet’s in our community who need support, guidance and a proper system to address social issues, which is lacking.
Dr Thriveni B S
