Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab to scale up tech-based maternal care to cut maternal mortality rate
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, December 23, 2025: Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday announced a statewide expansion of technology-driven interventions at government health facilities to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the state.
Speaking at a state-level workshop on ‘Tech Interventions for Maternal Mortality Reduction’, the minister said Punjab will scale up proven medical technologies to prevent maternal deaths, particularly those caused by post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). Punjab’s current MMR stands at 95 per one lakh live births, higher than the national average of 88.
Dr Balbir Singh said the focus would be on adopting evidence-based clinical practices and strengthening coordination among healthcare professionals to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing MMR to 70. He also underlined the importance of early health monitoring and nutritional counselling for pregnant women.
The workshop was organised by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) in collaboration with AIIMS Bathinda and the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
PSCST Executive Director Er Pritpal Singh said pilot use of Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garments (NASG) and Uterine Balloon Tamponade (UBT) across delivery points in 12 districts had helped save over 300 women facing critical PPH, prompting the decision to expand the initiative statewide.
Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr Aditi Salaria emphasised early detection of danger signs, standard referral protocols, and timely intervention to prevent complications during childbirth.
Project leaders from AIIMS Bathinda and PSCST shared district-level implementation experiences, highlighting improved availability of life-saving devices and training of healthcare staff. Doctors from government medical colleges in Patiala and Faridkot also presented field-level outcomes and clinical experiences.
Health officials, gynaecologists, nurses, and medical staff from all 23 districts of Punjab participated in the workshop, which also included hands-on training sessions on the use of NASG and UBT devices.