Junu BK, a 21-year-old from Dolpa, suffered heavy bleeding after childbirth due to a retained placenta. The Nepal Army airlifted her to Surkhet, where she and her baby are receiving treatment. “I thought I would die that day. I never imagined a helicopter would save me,” she said. Similarly, 15-year-old Jamuna Budha Magar faced serious pregnancy complications. She lost a lot of blood after delivery and was rescued by a Nepal Army helicopter under the President’s Women Uplift Programme.
Since 2019, this program has saved 808 women from 44 districts. The government started it to help poor pregnant women in remote areas. However, many still do not know about it. The program runs in 19 districts and partially in 25 more. A major challenge is that rescues stop after 5 pm due to no night vision. More awareness, better healthcare, and round-the-clock rescue services are needed.