Traditional beliefs affecting child health

Do you believe that a child could be killed or sick because of a witch’s trickery? Most people from the Arkhar community believe this. Moreover, when a child is sick, they prefer a cure using their traditional practices rather than going to a health clinic.

‘Carrying heavy loads while pregnant will help you have a less painful delivery.’ Daw Lay Lay, age 42, a mother, heard this from the elderly women in her community since the time she was young.

Most of the people from Arkhar community believed that a child’s illness or even death was due to witches. When a child was sick they tried to cure them with their traditional practices, rather than visiting health staff. They did not practice birth spacing because they believed that it was against God’s will, resulting in women having many children, even if they could not afford to feed them well.

“I always wanted to be doctor if I had a chance to go to school,” Daw Lay Lay recalls of her childhood dream.

Unfortunately, in 1988 civil unrest occurred across the country, closing schools. She was in the 9th grade. Her uneducated and poor parents arranged for her to get married rather than finish school.

“My marriage was arranged before I was 18-years-old,” says Daw Lay Lay. Married so young, she lacked enough health knowledge to properly care for her children. “I did not know about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and vaccination with my first 2 children.”

Another member of the community, Daw Yar Shay has given birth to five children. She lost two of her children; the first died just 15 days after birth. She never found out the cause.

In Arkhar community, when visitors go to see a newborn, they must bring a small gift for the baby, like money or food. If not, the child will become sick.

When Daw Yar Shay’s third baby got sick, she visited her neighbor’s houses, expecting that her baby would recover if she received gifts, but her child’s condition kept getting worse. At last she took her child to hospital, but sadly it was too late.

Her community believed that a witch has visited her home and did not give a gift.

A determined volunteer

In 2010, World Vision introduced its Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition programme in Daw Lay Lay’s community. With determination, Day Lay Lay participated in the training for 50 volunteers from different villages. Only 15 were approved as qualified health volunteers. Daw Lay Lay was one of them.

After her initial 2-year volunteer commitment, she continues to counsel mothers from her community, talking about pregnancy, maternal, child health, and nutrition.

Daw Lay Lay counsels mothers from her community about pregnancy, maternal, child health, and nutrition.(Photo by:Thet Kaung Myat Oo/World Vision)

“They are stubborn, and it took me about two years talking about health awareness and only then women started to talk about pregnancy,” says Daw Lay Lay. “I have to tell them that birth spacing is not against God’s will and not a sin. Only when you cannot feed your children and if they become thief, which is a sin. Then they listen.”

The community has changed their attitude and behavior. Women talk to their husbands now about pregnancy, consulting midwives, and pre-and post-natal care.

Even Day Yar Shay has learned better. Learning that her daughter was underweight from health staff, she says, “I was advised by the health staff and volunteers to treat my daughter [her fourth child] with chicken soup, eggs, and vegetables. I practiced what I learned and my daughter’s weight increased” shares Day Yar Shay. “I also exclusively fed my youngest son with my breast milk.”

Day Yar Shay, 38 years old mother, exclusively fed her 9 months old youngest son with her breast milk.(Photo by:Thet Kaung Myat Oo/World Vision)

A stubborn community can change, leaving harmful traditional practices aside.

“Even when World Vision is not here in our community anymore, I will continue to educate my people,” shares Daw Lay Lay.

In Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) courses, World Vision promotes awareness in several areas, including antenatal and post-natal care, safe deliveries, family planning & birth spacing, child illnesses and newborn care. Major achievements regarding MNCH interventions across the country include training and supporting over 1,300 community health volunteers and providing basic MNCH supplies and equipment to more than 50 sub-centers, rural health centers, and hospitals.

Daw Yar Shay, 38 years old mother, pick-a-front her 9 months old son by wrapping with shawl whenver she goes outside.(Photo by:Thet Kaung Myat Oo/World Vision)