Impact of floods on women’s health care

This monsoon season, there have been severe floods in many parts of India and serious waterlogging in cities and towns. An often-neglected aspect of such floods — and the resulting disruption of sanitation — is its effect on women and girls. Efforts to beef up water, sanitation/hygiene, and health facilities most often do not factor in climate-resilient infrastructure and services, keeping the specific needs of women in mind.

Health facilities become inaccessible or are ill-equipped for women needing prenatal and post-natal care. The recent floods across several districts in Bihar, for example, have severely disrupted maternal health services. To its credit, the health department did try to provide boat ambulances for pregnant women, but such services are also hit during challenging times. Ante-natal care in many........

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