Covid-19 orphans 490 children in Maharashtra

The highest number of orphaned children have been recorded in Pune division (106), followed by Konkan division (104), Nashik division (94)

Acting on the Supreme Court’s direction, the state constituted task forces in each district to identify such children and avert their trafficking and illegal adoptions. (HT FILE)

The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed more than 130,000 lives in the state and has severely impacted the lives of the children. In Maharashtra, 15,793 have lost one parent to Covid-19, while nearly 490 have become orphans, revealed the data compiled by the department of women and child development (WCD).

Neelam Navale, 10, contracted Covid-19 in April along with her elder brother, Sunil, 15, and both their parents— Ramakant and Ankita. On April 13, Ramakant’s oxygen saturation dropped to 89% and he was immediately admitted to the district hospital. But he succumbed to the infection within 24 hours. Even before the family could cope up with their loss, Ankita also had to be rushed to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) on April 15 due to breathlessness. She breathed her last on April 25. It was only in June that the relatives told the children about their parents’ deaths.

“Neelam is too young to understand the loss but Sunil has been left completely traumatised,” said their aunt Renuka Ojha. At present, the children are staying with their uncle in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh.

These are not isolated stories. Covid-19 has devastated families across the state, orphaning many children that include 267 males and 223 female children have lost their parents in the state.

The highest number of deaths was recorded in the second wave which started from mid-February. The highest number of orphaned children have been recorded in Pune division (106), followed by Konkan division (104), Nashik division (94), Nagpur division (86), Aurangabad division (62) and Amravati (32).

Pune and Nagpur districts have 21 orphan children each — the highest in the state, followed by Thane and Solapur districts with 15 children. These districts have recorded the highest cases of Covid-19, especially in the second wave.

As more men have contracted the infection, the death rate is also higher among them. This has also been reflected in WCD’s data. A total of 13,540 fathers have lost died due to Covid-19, while 1,763 mothers have succumbed to the infection in the state.

“The latest national sero survey report released by the Union health ministry showed that the sero prevalence was more in women. This indicates that the infection rate is higher among women but the death rate is more among men. In our hospital, we have witnessed a higher fatality rate among men, which can be attributed to various reasons,” said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of BYL Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central.

Acting on the Supreme Court’s direction, the state constituted task forces in each district to identify such children and avert their trafficking and illegal adoptions. Women and child welfare officials have reached out to families that reported Covid-19 deaths and provided counselling, legal and financial aid to them. The process for enrolment of orphaned children, whose extended family members are not able to look after them, is ongoing.

IA Kundan, secretary, WCD, said that district-level task forces have been appointed under the chairmanship of district collectors who are helping these children financially and psychologically through child welfare committees.

“We had to identify those children, so we collected the data district-wise. We have got in touch with all the children and have provided counselling in tie-ups with professional psychiatrics,” she added.

Earlier, WCD minister Yashomati Thakur had informed HT that the department has taken full responsibility of the further studies of such children for which technological support in the form of laptops and android phones are being provided to them as immediate steps.

Thakur added, “We have already announced ?5 lakh in fixed deposit accounts of these children till they turn 18. Until then, financial aid will be given to children under Balsangopan Yojana.”

Children in custody of relatives are given financial assistance of ?1,125 per month under the Bal Sangopan scheme.

In the past few months, there have been several messages circulating on social media for adoption of children who have been orphaned due to Covid-19. WCD has requested the public to refrain from circulating such messages as ‘unauthorised’ adoption can lead to child trafficking.

“There are due processes that need to be followed for adoption. If anyone wants to adopt such an orphan child, they need to contact us,” said Kundan.