Woman doc to visit Nari Niketan daily from today

BAREILLY: After the hue and cry raised over four inmates escaping from nari niketan here because of the pathetic living condition of the shelter home has served as a wake up call for the district authorities. They have now appointed a woman doctor, staff nurses and an auxiliary nursing mid-wife (ANM) for tending the inmates. Besides, specialists in different branches of medicine will also visit the shelter on a weekly basis.The district authorities have also posted a psychologist to counsel and guide the inmates.
The recent incident of four inmates fleeing from shelter home premises has drawn the attention of the district authorities towards the plight of nari niketan inmates who have been neglected doe long. A probe into the conditions at the shelter had revealed that six inmates residing in nari nNiketan had succumbed to illness between July and September. A magisterial inquiry is going on into the deaths.
The district authorities had inspected the shelter home after the four inmates escaped on September 16 and found that the home was in a terrible state. TOI had earlier reported how the nari niketan is reeling under staff crunch.
Due to the shortage of staff for taking care of women housed there, many of the inmates are reportedly falling sick due to neglect.
After the state of affairs at the nari niketan was exposed, the district authorities have started posting more staff. A psychologist from Varanasi will take charge soon of the shelter home. Now woman doctor, Dr Geetanjali Singh, will visit the nari niketan daily from Tuesday to cater to the medical needs of the inmates. Two staff nurses and midwife each have also been posted there. “Doctors who are specialists in different branches of medicine will visit on a weekly basis depending on illness of the inmates,” said Dr Vijay Yadav, chief medical officer (CMO).
However, TOI learned that the shelter home still needs more staff, including a woman superintendent, assistant superintendent, training staff and Class IV employees. More than 135 women and 11 children are staying in the two-storey shelter home. Out of total women inmates, more than 100 women suffering from mental illness are housed on the ground floor.