Poor Roads: Pregnant Woman Carried On Stretcher To Hospital In Malkangiri

Malkangiri: Motorable roads are still missing in some parts of Odisha and the worst sufferers are expectant mothers as ambulances often fail to reach them on time.

On Monday, a pregnant woman had to be carried on a stretcher at Pabiliguda village under Chitrakonda block in Malkangiri district.

Parbati Khara of Pabiliguda village was carried on a stretcher through an unpaved road after she complained of labour pain and then on a motorcycle to the hospital with the help of an ANM, supervisor and villagers.

“It was not possible to bring her in a vehicle because of the poor road conditions. We brought a stretcher from a health centre in a nearby village. After crossing an under-constructed bridge and the unpaved road of the village, we took her to the hospital in a motorcycle,” said supervisor Shankar Khara.

There is no mobile network in the village also.

On October 4, a pregnant woman was carried on a cot at Chaulasuli village under Bangiriposhi block in the district.

The 102 ambulance failed to reach the spot due to inaccessible road. The villagers carried the pregnant woman on the cot for around one km. They also had to cross a river to reach the ambulance. She was then taken to Bangiriposhi hospital in the ambulance and later shifted to Baripada hospital after her condition deteriorated.

On September 30, a similar incident was reported in the district.

Though the villagers have been demanding a bridge across the river, no steps have been taken in this regard so far.