Chandigarh, Sept 13: With vast areas of Punjab still reeling from this year’s devastating floods, the state government has placed special importance on safeguarding maternal and child health in affected districts. Officials said more than 11,000 ASHA workers are going door-to-door to deliver medicines, track pregnant women and ensure immunization drives continue despite the crisis.
According to the health department, nearly 458 Rapid Response Teams, 360 Mobile Medical Units and 424 ambulances have been deployed in flood-hit villages. Delivery facilities have even been arranged through boat ambulances. “Rescuing pregnant women in distress and ensuring safe deliveries is our foremost priority,” Civil Surgeon Dr. Rajwinder Kaur said, citing instructions from Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh.
The measures have already saved lives. Authorities said eight pregnant women were rescued in Gurdaspur, one of whom delivered her child safely aboard a boat under medical supervision. In another instance, Manjeet Kaur from Tendi Wala and Manpreet Kaur from Kalu Wala were evacuated with NDRF assistance and admitted to the Civil Hospital, where both delivered healthy babies. “These efforts show that in times of disaster, every possible assistance will be extended,” Dr. Kaur said.
Officials noted that 45 pregnant women had been identified in villages along the Sutlej river, with four deliveries recorded last week — three in government facilities and one in a private hospital. Special medical camps have been set up across flood-hit districts to provide prenatal check-ups, medicines and basic hygiene supplies.
Health workers said relief has not been limited to maternal care. Rations, sanitary napkins and mosquito nets are also being distributed in camps across Ferozepur, Fazilka, Nabha, Pathankot and Gurdaspur. Volunteers from the AAP’s youth and women’s wings have joined the drive, moving door-to-door in submerged villages.
Residents described the government’s response as a “lifeline” at a time when many communities remain marooned. “The medical team reached us by boat when we had lost hope,” said Harbhajan Singh, a villager near the Sutlej belt. “For women and children especially, their presence has made survival possible.”
Punjab is facing its worst floods in decades, with thousands displaced and crops damaged across more than 4.8 lakh acres. While the administration continues to assess agricultural losses, health officials said their immediate priority is ensuring that no woman or child is left without care during the ongoing crisis.
