BHOPAL: A 28-year-old tribal woman in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district delivered four premature stillborn babies inside an autorickshaw while being taken to a higher health centre, with her family alleging that a 108 ambulance was not available when she was referred.
The incident took place on Tuesday after Rajni Sindram, a resident of Naigaon village, went into labour in the seventh month of her pregnancy. She was initially taken to the Ghutas Primary Health Centre (PHC) in a private vehicle.
During examination, doctors found that she was carrying multiple foetuses and referred her to the Bichhiya Community Health Centre (CHC) for specialised care.
According to Rajni Sindram, nurses at the PHC called the 108 ambulance service but were informed that it would take time for the ambulance to arrive.
"The nurses at the Ghutas PHC had dialled for a 108 ambulance, but they were told it would take time to arrive. After that, I was sent to the Bichhiya CHC in an autorickshaw. On the way, near Pakri Tola village, I delivered four babies. None of them survived," she said.
Her husband, Dhanesh Sindram, said the family had no option but to transport her in an autorickshaw because an ambulance was unavailable.
"We had no other option but to take my pregnant wife in an autorickshaw, as we couldn't get an ambulance," he said.
Responding to the allegations, a senior health department official said Rajni Sindram had reached the PHC in a private vehicle and was referred to the CHC in the same vehicle to avoid losing precious time.
"Since the patient had already come in a private vehicle, she was immediately sent to the Bichhiya CHC in the same vehicle so that treatment was not delayed. Between Ghutas and Bichhiya, her labour intensified and she delivered four premature stillborn babies. She was then taken to the block hospital in Bichhiya, where her condition is stable," the official said.
The official added that the 108 ambulance service is managed at the state level and may take between 30 minutes and an hour to reach patients.
"In emergencies requiring immediate medical attention, patients are often shifted in available private vehicles instead of waiting for an ambulance," the official said.
Mandla Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr D.J. Mohanty said the woman delivered quadruplets before reaching the hospital.
"All four babies, three girls and a boy, died because they were premature and weighed around 1.5 kilograms each," Mohanty said.