Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Ever since the nationwide lockdown was lifted last June in India, AMDA Peace Clinic (APC) in Bodhgaya has been providing food aid to the families of pregnant women who are registered at the clinic. While there are still a number of households that have been struggling to make ends meet, their overall livelihood has been picking up in recent months. In light of such circumstances, APC has reduced the number of food distribution activities, which used to be held biweekly, to once a month since this February.

On 16 March, the clinic distributed food items prior to the annual Holi festival which is known to be one of India’s biggest festivities. The aid was provided to 48 women, and also to a nursing home run by a former APC staff. The foodstuffs include 1.5 kg of Dal beans, 500 g of chickpea beans, 1 kg of potatoes, 1 kg of onions, 500 g of salt, 500 ml of cooking oil, and 5 kg of flour (only to those who are not entitled to the governmental aid).

According to a local staff, the state government currently imposed another lockdown in three states in response to the soaring cases of COVID-19 variants. APC will be keeping an eye on the developments since Bihar state has not made their decision yet.
 

 

How daily life has changed in recent months for the pregnant women at APC:

“I gave birth to my first child by C-section on 27 November last year. Last March (prior to the nationwide lockdown), my husband came back from Gujarat, where he had been working as a garment factory worker, for two weeks to join the Holi festival. It was only after a while that his employer announced the closure of the factory due to the worsening economy, and now he is looking for a job here as a tractor driver after learning to drive it."

"For now, we have been depending on my father-in-law‘s income who is a well digger. He was also working in Punjab but came back to Bodhgaya because of the lockdown. He didn’t have a lot of work for some time, but he has resumed his work from three months ago at our village, digging a well again."

"Coupled with the vegetable yard at our place, we have managed to feed ourselves thanks to the extra food assistance given by APC. I feel really thankful for the support. “
(Ms. Puja Kumari, an APC registree)


“I’ve started living in Bodhgaya since last July due to marriage which was right after the lockdown ended. I am now two and a half months pregnant, and my family runs a little kiosk near APC. I’ve started receiving APC’s food aid and prenatal services since last month.”

"Because this is my first time living here, I had no knowledge of how the local situations changed due to the pandemic. I was told that the city had been a lot different back in pre-lockdown days, and in fact, we did suffer a lot financially from its consequences. But things have been getting better compared to the time I moved in, and I must say customers are gradually coming back.”
 (Ms. Sweety Kumari, an APC registree)