JAGATSINGHPUR: Dr Yagnadatta Rath, who walked across hill and waded through river to help a tribal woman in labour in Kandhamal district, will get ‘IMA Dr CT Thakar Award’ for his outstanding service.
He will receive the award under young doctor category at Bengaluru during 79th annual meeting of central council of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on December 27.
Rath of Mahilo village in Tirtol block is now working in Community Health Centre (CHC) at Mahipur of Nayagarh district.
In March, while working as an ad hoc doctor at Tumudibandha CHC, the doctor had covered a distance of more than 2 km on foot to aid Raita, a 23-year-old first-time mother of the Kutia Kondh tribe. She went into labour while making her way to the health centre on foot. The young doctor’s actions had made him a poster boy for Odisha’s healthcare system.
Expressing their happiness, his father Hemant Kumar Rath and grandfather, noted social activist Muralidhara Rath, said, “Villagers celebrated the proud moment with enthusiasm by distributing sweets. They are planning to accord Rath a grand reception on his arrival in the village.”