Visit to Matritva Chaya Shelter Home for Pregnant and Lactating Women, Jahangir Puri

Post Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2016

The shelter home is not centrally located. Jahangir Puri is on the outskirts of New Delhi and the shelter home is difficult to find for anyone who does not know it is there. On this and previous visits, teams have been steered in opposite directions by locals who are themselves not aware of the shelter home’s presence in their neighbourhood.

The team met Linda, the Centre Incharge at the shelter home, who shared information about the shelter home and its occupants. The Centre Incharge told the team that the shelter home has a capacity of 10 residents and currently houses seven women. All of the women have already given birth and remain at the shelter home for up to one and a half years while they nurse their infants. Recently, a mentally challenged pregnant woman was referred to the Institute for Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) for further treatment and care because the shelter home does not offer specialised care for residents who are mentally or physically challenged.

The mostly all female staff at the shelter home includes the Centre Incharge, four nurses, three attendants, and a cook. The Centre Incharge is on duty at the shelter home from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and is on call 24 hours a day in case of emergencies. Additionally, the nurses and attendants stay at the shelter home 24 hours a day. The shelter home’s security guards are on duty 24 hours a day but are not allowed inside the shelter home.