India, Sept. 13 -- 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 departmen...