Hard labour inflicts back strain on Ghor women

FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): A number of women in western Ghor province say financial woes and poverty have forced them to engage in hard labour, which has caused them lumbago.

Financial hardship and no male breadwinners are the main factors behind the women being pushed into taxing work to feed their families.

These women work in brick kilns, agricultural fields and people’s houses, besides weaving carpets and doing other types of manual labour.

Fareshta, a widow from Ferozkoh, says: “I have been working on agricultural farms for three years. I work from dawn to dusk to support my family. At the end of the day, the land owner gives me some vegetables and 100afs in cash as a daily wage.”

Her husband lost his life in a traffic accident and she shouldered responsibility for her children. At times, she has to work in people’s houses as well.

The 29-year-old said: “I daily go to people’s houses for work to earn a living for my children, I wash clothes, fetch water in a 20-litre jerry cane to fill their water tank. My back pain has started a year back. I can’t sleep at night because of the pain.”

The diagnosis shows her back needs long-term treatment, but she does not have the money required for it. With she earns, she can only provide food for her children.

“Ophthalmologists treated my eyes for free. My back pain should also be treated for free, because I can’t afford to pay for it.”

Nazaneen, 34, said she also had a backache due to hard work. She has traveled to Kabul twice for treatment, but could not purchase all medicines due to a paucity of funds.  Subsequently, her condition worsened.

“The first time I went to the doctor, I had an MRI scan. The doctor said I need a spinal cord operation. But I don’t have the money for that surgery. I will be fine with medicine, my job is not easy,” he explained.

Nouria, 39, another female ceramist in Ghor, also complained about back pain and said poverty had pushed her to hard labour.

“In the morning, I go to work and put the bricks in the furnace to get baked and then take them out again.”

She went on to say: “I have been faced with economic problems since my husband’s death. I have been working for seven years. I did construction work as well to feed my children…”

Nouria is also unable to pay for her treatment. She asked the caretaker government and other institutions to support her and other poor women with their treatment.

Doctors say sciatica is largely triggered by hard labour, lack of proper died and economic problems.

Dr Abdul Ahmad Noori, an internal medicine specialist who runs a private clinic in Ferozkoh, called hard work, lack of proper diet and economic crises the principal reasons for back pain.

“Unfortunately, on daily basis, five to seven women — some of them pregnant — approach the clinic. They all complain of pain in their spinal cords and legs. The disease is more common among women,” he explained.

The specialist urged such women to protect themselves against by consuming adequate milk, yogurt, vegetables, fruits and other nutritious foods.

But Public Health Director Dr Abdul Sattar Muwafaq said efforts were being made to provide health services to patients at government health centres.

“All our doctors are working day and night to serve the people, especially women. Although treatment facilities are limited, we are still trying to address this problem,” he commented.

sa/mud

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