Anganwadi worker in Andhra's Kurnool rewarded for helping pregnant woman during childbirth amid lockdown

An Anganwadi worker was rewarded by the District Collector of Kurnool for staying by a pregnant woman and helping her during childbirth amid lockdown.

Divyabharti, a resident of Nandyal town of Kurnool district, was alone in her house when she got labour pain on Friday. Her family members were unable to reach her due to the lockdown.

She asked Chennamma, an Anganwadi worker who lived in the neighbourhood, for help.

Chennamma arrived quickly and took the pregnant woman in an auto to the Government General Hospital in Nandyal and got the preliminary testing done. She then continued to stay by Divyabharti's side even after she delivered a healthy baby boy, following a caesarian operation, at 11:30 am on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Divyabharti wholeheartedly thanked Chennamma for her dedication and help during the period.

"My condition was serious due to blood pressure and also because the gap between my first and the current delivery is very less. At first, I was told to go to Kurnool GGH for better medicare, but Chennamma assured me and talked to some people she knew here. At last, a cesarean operation was performed and I gave birth to a healthy baby boy weighing 4 kilograms. Had she not given me the confidence the story could have turned out to be very different," Divyabharti said.

Chennamma, on the other hand, said that she had done what was needed as she felt Divyabharti was just like her daughter.

"Divyabharati was suffering a lot. Her mother was held up at Kurnool and could not come. She was scared and asked my support, so I brought her to this hospital and stayed back with her as she is like my daughter. I asked her not to worry, and encouraged her to deliver the baby at this hospital," she said.

When news of Chennamma's dedication and selfless act reached the ears of the Kurnool DC, he immediately announced a cash reward of Rs 20,000 and a certificate of appreciation to be issued in her name.