After decades, Punjab is once again grappling with a devastating flood that has shattered the lives of its people. In this difficult time, the Mann Government is standing shoulder to shoulder with its citizens like a family—providing everything they need. Importantly, the government has left no stone unturned in addressing the basic needs of women, with special care for pregnant mothers. The Mann Government issued key directives for their well-being. The Aam Aadmi Party’s youth and women’s wings also accelerated relief operations in flood-affected areas like Nabha, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and several other districts. Volunteers went from village to village, distributing relief materials and rations, while paying particular attention to the needs of women and children. In relief camps set up in Ferozepur and Fazilka, women were also provided sanitary pads and mosquito nets.
More than 11,103 ASHA workers deployed in the flood-affected districts are going door-to-door delivering medicines and raising awareness about waterborne and vector-borne diseases. They are prioritizing the tracking and care of pregnant women and ensuring that regular immunization programs are not disrupted.
To support the people of the flood-hit villages and pregnant women, the Mann Government deployed nearly 458 Rapid Response Teams, 360 Mobile Medical Units, and 424 ambulances, while also providing delivery facilities through boat ambulances. In addition, the health department set up several medical camps specifically to care for pregnant women and children, offering special facilities for women, including prenatal check-ups and medicines. In Gurdaspur, authorities even deployed a boat ambulance and a helicopter to evacuate pregnant women and critically ill patients in emergency situations. Thanks to these efforts, eight pregnant women were rescued—one of whom delivered her baby safely under medical supervision aboard a boat.
NDRF teams were also mobilized for rescue operations. Along the Sutlej river, near the Indo-Pak border, the health department emerged as a ray of hope for residents of flood-affected border villages. Civil Surgeon Dr. Rajwinder Kaur stated that Punjab’s Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh had instructed the department to provide every possible assistance to flood victims, with a special focus on rescuing pregnant women in distress and ensuring safe deliveries. Acting on these instructions, the health department successfully rescued Manjeet Kaur from Tendi Wala and Manpreet Kaur from Kalu Wala, admitting them to the Civil Hospital where both delivered their babies safely. Free 108 ambulance service was also made available for pregnant women.
In these challenging times, the special medical camps of the health department have provided vital healthcare and solace to affected families. From officers to field workers, the department has stood shoulder to shoulder with the community throughout this crisis. These efforts by the Aam Aadmi Party government clearly show that women’s basic needs have been prioritized, with special focus on social security and health essentials such as sanitary napkins and maternal care—both crucial for women in such difficult times.
Among 45 identified pregnant women in villages near the Sutlej river, four deliveries were recorded last week—three in government hospitals and one in a private panel hospital. The Mann Government has demonstrated that, in times of crisis, serving humanity takes precedence over politics. As the AAP team stated: “No kitchen will be left without food, no woman will face a lack of personal hygiene products…”
