Health min orders probe into ‘denial’ of ambulance to pregnant woman in Rayagada

Rayagada: Health minister Pratap Jena on Tuesday directed Rayagada collector to conduct an inquiry into the incident, where family members of a pregnant woman had to carry her to hospital on a stretcher after allegedly being denied ambulance service.
On Monday, family members of Anku Miniaka (30) of Talasaja village under Kalyansinghpur block in the district carried the stretcher over their shoulder for about 2 km across a river in waist-deep water after she complained of labour pain. Later, a mobile health van ferried the woman to Kalyansinghpur community health centre, where she gave birth to a baby girl.
“There are more than 100 villages in the area. In the absence of proper road connectivity, healthcare services have become a casualty here,” an official said.