A pregnant woman died while being taken to a hospital across the swollen Kotri river in a boat in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district recently.
Sulata Jade, a resident of Kandari village, had been unwell for several days. According to reports, she was diagnosed with malaria by a private doctor on August 16. Her condition reportedly worsened the following day, prompting her family to seek urgent medical care.
The family contacted the ambulance service, but was reportedly informed that the ambulance would take about an hour to arrive. With her condition deteriorating, the family decided not to wait and arranged private transport to take her towards the riverbank.
They then placed Sulata on a wooden boat to cross the Kotri River, which was swollen and flowing strongly following heavy rains. She died while the boat was in the middle of the river, reports added.
The incident has triggered anger among residents of Kandari and surrounding villages, who have pointed to the absence of a bridge over the Kotri River as a major obstacle to accessing healthcare, particularly during the monsoon.
Residents have also raised concerns over the availability and timely deployment of emergency ambulance services in the remote area.
