Punjab’s Fazilka village rejoices amid grim flood situation — welcomes 4 newborns

Sunita Rani delivered a boy on August 19 at the government hospital in Khui Khera. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Sundra and Auxiliary Nursing Midwife (ANM) visited her home for the postnatal check-up on Tuesday. Both mother and baby are healthy and safe, Sundra said.

On the same day, Veena gave birth to a male child.

The next day, on August 20, Seema Rani and Parveen gave birth to a girl and a boy, respectively.

All women are from the same village, but except for Parveen, the trio delivered babies at the government hospital in Fazilka.

“Looking at the grim flood situation, families have sent the mothers and newborns to their relatives’ places at safer locations in the district. After the delivery, they had come to the village, but  Veena and Seema went to their relatives’ places on Monday, while Sunita and Parveen left the village on Tuesday afternoon,” health department authorities said.

“The water level in the Sutlej is rising, and the village is surrounded by floodwater. More water is expected to reach Fazilka by Wednesday afternoon, hence families found it safe to send the mothers and newborns to their relatives’ places,” they said.

As per the direction of Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, Health Department teams have been identifying pregnant women in villages across the creek and shifting them to safer locations.

There are 45 pregnant women in villages across the Sutlej creek, of whom four delivered babies in the past week.

Dr Rinku Chawla, Senior Medical Officer at Community Health Centre, Dabbwala Kalan, said, “The department remains in contact with the families of pregnant women in every village through ASHA workers, ensuring all necessary assistance is provided to them. Deliveries in government hospitals are free of cost, and the 108 ambulance service is also available free of charge for the patients.”

Mass Media in-charge Divesh Kumar said, “ASHA workers and ANMs are conducting home visits before and after the delivery to provide essential medicines and ensure care to the mother and child. In addition, a list of pregnant women who are likely to deliver babies shortly and those categorised as high-risk (requiring special medical attention during delivery) has been prepared.

Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Rohit Goel said, “Ten beds have been reserved at the Civil Hospital for people coming from flood-affected areas. Health department teams have been regularly visiting these villages to provide medicines and sensitise people about seasonal and waterborne diseases. On Tuesday, three teams waded through floodwaters to reach Donan Nanka, Teja Rohela and Patan Post Muhar Jamsher villages to distribute medicines door to door.”