518 pregnant, postpartum women airlifted for treatment in five years

KATHMANDU: The government airlifted 518 pregnant women for safe delivery through its air rescue program in the past five years.

The program implemented by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens aims at saving the lives of women who face complications during delivery. The program is fully operational in 18 districts and partially operational in 29 districts.

The government launched the program in 2017/18 with the objective of reducing maternal and child mortality by addressing delivery complications. The number of air rescues has been steadily increasing each year, with 26 rescues in the first year, 87 in the second, 103 in the third, 169 in the fourth, and 133 in the most recent year, totaling 518 rescues.

The services provided as part of the President Women Upliftment Program are free of charge.

According to officials, rescue operations are initiated based on notifications received from local units or health institutions indicating that a woman’s life is in danger and treatment is not possible at the local level. The ministry then coordinates with the Nepali Army which operates helicopters for air rescues. Typically, the helicopter is dispatched within 30 to 45 minutes of receiving the information.

The ministry has established partnerships with three hospitals: Paropkar Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu, Koshi Hospital in Biratnagar, and Karnali Provincial Hospital in Surkhet. The rescued women receive free treatment at these facilities. After treatment, each woman is provided Rs 20,000 for return transport and nutritious food.

(With inputs from RSS)