Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal on Monday, 20 July directed state health officials to ensure Caesarean section (C-section) services are available in every Assembly constituency across the state, while simultaneously placing the Health Department on high alert to manage potential public health emergencies stemming from worsening floods in Upper Assam. The twin directives came during a comprehensive review meeting chaired by Singhal in Dispur, Guwahati.

Key Directives from the Review Meeting

The review assessed healthcare delivery in the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Kokrajhar, Chirang, and Bongaigaon. The meeting was attended by MLAs from all five districts, along with senior officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department and the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam.

Singhal reviewed healthcare infrastructure, availability of doctors and health workers, implementation of government health schemes, and the overall quality of medical services across the reviewed districts.

Expanding Maternal and Child Healthcare

Emphasising maternal and child health, Singhal instructed officials to initiate steps to provide C-section facilities through qualified doctors in every Assembly constituency. He said the move would reduce the need to transfer pregnant women with complicated deliveries to distant hospitals, ensuring timely access to life-saving care.

The minister also directed officials to intensify efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality, identify high-risk pregnancies at an early stage, expand access to free dialysis services, and improve key public health indicators across Assam. He underscored the need for better healthcare outreach in rural areas, and reviewed the implementation of programmes including the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), School Health Clubs, and the TB-free India campaign.

Flood Alert: Health Department on Emergency Footing

In a separate emergency video conference, Singhal connected with officials of Assam Medical College, Jorhat Medical College, and the district administrations of Jorhat, Charaideo, and Sivasagar — all districts facing the brunt of the current flood season.

He directed health authorities to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines, establish special medical teams for emergency deployment, organise health camps in flood-affected areas, and ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks. All departments were instructed to remain on round-the-clock alert and provide immediate medical assistance to flood-affected residents.

Why This Matters

Assam has historically recorded among the higher maternal mortality ratios in India, with rural and remote constituencies often lacking surgical obstetric care. The push to decentralise C-section availability directly addresses a structural gap that has long forced families to travel hours to reach facilities equipped for complicated deliveries. This comes amid an annual flood cycle that routinely disrupts healthcare access across the Brahmaputra basin — making the dual directive particularly timely.

With flood waters still rising in Upper Assam, the effectiveness of the emergency health preparedness measures will be closely watched in the coming weeks.