In a decisive move to tackle its high maternal mortality rate, the Punjab health department has rolled out a mandatory digital coordination system for emergency referrals in maternal and child healthcare. The directive aims to standardise information sharing and speed up decision-making for high-risk cases across all districts.
Digital Groups for Faster Emergency Response
The department has instructed all civil surgeons in the state to establish dedicated digital communication groups at the district and Community Health Centre (CHC) levels. These groups are designed to ensure seamless coordination between various healthcare delivery points.
The order mandates that each group must include contact details of key medical personnel. This list encompasses labour room staff and Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) teams from the nearest medical college, along with medical officers from District Hospitals (DH), Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDH), CHCs, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Aam Aadmi Clinics.
Strict Protocols for Updated Information
The platform will be the primary channel for rapid communication concerning delivery referrals, emergency assistance, and coordinating high-risk pregnancy cases. To maintain an always-current database, the department has instituted specific protocols:
- Monthly circulation of a duty roster and updated contact lists for all labour room staff.
- Mandatory monthly addition of nurses and gynaecologists to the group.
- Sharing of contact details for gynaecologists from the nearest medical college via an official letter to all MCH facilities.
The shared contact information must clearly specify the doctor's name, designation, primary mobile number, and an alternate emergency number if available. All districts have been given a strict deadline of seven days to create and make these groups fully operational.
The Urgent Need: Reducing Punjab's High Maternal Mortality
This urgent digital push is driven by a critical health statistic. Punjab's Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) currently stands at 90 deaths per lakh live births, which is higher than the national average of 88. This highlights a pressing need to enhance pregnancy care, especially at the primary healthcare level.
The state government has set an ambitious target to bring this figure down to below 72 per lakh live births by the end of the 2025–26 financial year. This aligns with the central government's broader national goal of reducing the MMR to below 70 by the year 2030. The new digital referral mechanism is a cornerstone strategy to achieve this life-saving target.
