Malkangiri: In the absence of proper road connectivity in the remote areas of Odisha, a pregnant woman was carried on a sling at Lachhmipur village under Chitrokonda block in Malkangiri district on Friday.
The 108 ambulance failed to reach the village due to the poor condition of the roads. Family members of the pregnant woman, with the help of an Asha worker, took her on a sling for five km to the ambulance. Then she was taken to the Chitrokonda hospital in an ambulance.
The ambulance driver, Pradip Mandal said, “When we received a call from her family members, we tried to go to the spot. But due inaccessible roads, we failed to reach there. Our ambulance staff also helped her family members to bring her to the ambulance, as they had less manpower.”
Similarly, on Thursday morning, a pregnant woman was carried on a cot at Chaulasuli village under Bangiriposhi block in Mayurbhanj district.
The 102 ambulance failed to reach the spot due to inaccessible roads. The villagers took 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 too, 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.
Due to the poor condition of the roads, several instances of expectant mothers being carried to hospitals in a pitiable condition have come to the fore in the recent past.
On August 25, Hunda Saanta, wife of Lachhada Saanta, at Bagabeda village under Jharigaan block in Nabarangpur district, had to be carried on a cot by her relatives for a distance of two km to reach the hospital.
Hunda developed labour pains at around 12 am but due to incessant rain, her relatives could not take her to the hospital. Her family contacted the 102 ambulance service. However, due to heavy rain and bad road conditions, the ambulance could not reach the village.
She delivered the baby on the cot on her way to the hospital. She was later admitted to Jharigaan hospital.
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