On A rainy September day in 2012, 21-year-old Chimpi Bora faced the prospect of going into labour at home. The floods had cut all communication to her flood-ravaged home in Jorhat district’s (upper Assam) Bhimpara island on the Brahmaputra. Her husband called an ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist), local community workers, who connected with the nearest boat clinic. Wading through knee deep water in darkness, torchlights in hand, a team of doctors and nurses arrived at Bora’s doorstep to conduct the delivery of their baby. The child was named Plaban, Assamese for “high water”.

Dr Anita Patil conducts several short day camps and counselling sessions with tribal women. At a recent camp in Jamsar, she advocated a safe hospital-assisted delivery. Pics/Satej Shinde