Ganjam district administration has shifted 107 pregnant women to nearby hospitals and four others to a transit home as Odisha prepares for Cyclone Arnab, with officials prioritising women whose expected delivery dates fall within 15 days. The move is part of a wider health and shelter plan covering 1,262 expectant mothers identified across the district.
The shifting operation began on Sunday afternoon with the assistance of Accredited Social Health Activists and anganwadi workers, according to S Kameswar Rao, Ganjam’s chief district medical and public health officer. By Monday noon, 107 women had been moved to hospitals and four had been accommodated at Maa Gruha, a transit house.
Rao said 74 of the women shifted to hospitals had subsequently delivered their babies safely at different government hospitals. The mothers and infants were in good condition, based on reports received from the hospitals, he said.
The district administration decided to move women nearing their delivery dates before the cyclone’s impact to reduce the risk of emergency travel and ensure access to institutional care. Rao said some women were initially reluctant to leave their homes well before their expected delivery dates, but health and anganwadi workers persuaded them to shift to hospitals for safer deliveries.
The preparedness effort places frontline workers at the centre of the district’s response. ASHA workers and anganwadi workers helped identify the expectant mothers and supported the relocation process, while hospitals are being prepared to handle deliveries and other health emergencies during the storm.
Ganjam Collector Keerthi Vasan V has directed health officials to stock essential medicines at hospitals and cyclone shelters. The instruction is intended to maintain access to basic medical supplies as facilities prepare for possible disruption and increased demand during the cyclone response.
The district has also prepared accommodation for a large-scale evacuation if required. Officials said 110 cyclone shelters and 1,000 temporary shelters could accommodate up to 1.5 lakh people. The collector visited several cyclone shelters and reviewed preparations before the storm.
“There is no need to panic. We have prepared to face any eventuality,” Vasan said, according to the district administration’s account. The next steps are the continued monitoring of the identified pregnant women, maintenance of medical stocks and activation of additional shelters if evacuation becomes necessary.
