Posted by Ranju Sharma
* Note: This is the third in a series of Nyaya Health staff member profiles. Through these profiles, which are posted on Saturdays, we hope to give you a better idea of the people who are working on the ground to implement Nyaya’s vision on a daily basis.
Sangeeta Nepali, one of Nyaya’s longest-standing staff members, was born in Sanfe Bagar. She married a man living in the neighboring district of Doti at approximately the time that Nyaya was opening the Sanfe Bagar Clinic and hiring its first two auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs). Though Sangeeta was interning at a government health post, her supervisor encouraged her to apply for the Nyaya position. She passed the interview with Nyaya but took a government job at a rural health post instead, as the Sanfe Clinic was not ready to initiate services. When Sangeeta learned that Nyaya was beginning its operations, she returned and accepted the ANM position.
Sangeeta Nepali, one of our Auxilary Nurse Midwives, performs safe deliveries at Bayalpata Hospital and provides other patient care.
When asked if she dreamed of doing this work as a child, Sangeeta laughs shyly and says that she would have loved to be a singer if she could. She merrily adds, “I used to hum one song or the other all the time instead of studying. I would have 15-minute long ‘study breaks’ between 5-minute long study sessions when I would sing all the songs I loved.” Sangeeta also admits that she always admired the way ANMs and staff nurses wore white coats and helped patients. Yet, she never seriously considered pursuing a nursing career. She ended up enrolling in an ANM training course largely because of her husband’s encouragement and the fact that a friend of hers was also joining. If she had not undergone the 1.5 year training, Sangeeta says she probably would have done what an “ideal wife” is supposed to do, staying at home and looking after children.
Working with the Nyaya team, Sangeeta has grown as an ANM. She has had the chance to provide services to those who need it the most, and she feels proud of her work. Sangeeta says, “The best thing about Nyaya is that I am learning with the senior staff and doctors that care to supervise and teach at the same time.”
(Sangeeta delivered a baby girl in July 2009. She is currently taking maternity leave and enjoying her time as a new mother. Sangeeta is missed dearly at Bayalpata Hospital, and the Nyaya team looks forward to her return!)