In the MSF Mother and Child Health Centre in Bijapur town of Chhattisgarh, MSF doctors give medical check-up to the baby who was born pre-maturely.
Copyright: P.K.Lee

Lalita shares her room in the Mother and Child Health Centre (MCHC) in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, with two other mothers who have just delivered their babies. Lalita is doing well and proudly shows her 4-day-old daughter. The girl weighs 2.5 kilograms.

Lalita is from Toynar, a small village, 10 kilometres from Bijapur. It takes her and her husband 40 minutes to reach the MCHC by motorbike. During her pregnancy, Lalita had her tests and monthly check-ups in the MCHC.

Before she gave birth to her daughter, Lalita was in the MCHC for 15 days. She had medical complications, and needed extra medical treatment.  Because of the care she received from the MSF staff, she had a normal delivery. Lalita is very thankful for that. She wishes all mothers and babies get the high level of care she got. Father Vijay (32) wants to stay with his wife and daughter as much as possible. If possible, he stays overnight and uses one of the vacant beds in the MCHC. Lalita is really happy she came to health centre, and looks forward to the moment she can take her healthy daughter home.

Lalita was interviewed by Frank Aalderinks.