VISAKHAPATNAM: In another incident that highlights the hardship people in tribal areas face due to lack of road connectivity, a pregnant woman of Injari in Pedabayalu mandal, died as she failed to get timely medical help. Though the incident happened five days ago, it came to light on Saturday.
According to reports, the victim, Lakshmi, who was in her 36th week of pregnancy, died due to excessive bleeding. Relatives of the victim said Lakshmi had set out on foot to Boyithi in Madugula mandal, 20 km away from her village Injari to consult an RMP doctor.
The same day she had started back home, but as she developed labour pains midway, her relatives carried her to Injari in a doli (sling). After reaching home, Lakshmi and her unborn baby died due to excessive bleeding, the relatives said.
Sub collector Venkateswara Rao told TNIE that the 28-year-old woman of Injari died due to complications during delivery. The hilltop village has no road connectivity and is located in a Maoist-affected area, he said.
The woman had twice visited the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Gomanga for a medical checkup. She was scheduled to visit the PHC for the third time, but she could not make the trip as she developed early delivery symptoms.
The Aasha worker in the village visited the woman and tried to help her. Meanwhile, the relatives contacted a ‘mantrasani’ (midwife) for help. The infant died during delivery and the mother succumbed to excess bleeding.
Venkateswara Rao said owing to heavy rain on that day there was no way of shifting the victim to hospital even in a doli. He said a two-member committee constituted to probe the incident said in its report that the woman died due to complications during delivery. He said a doctor was also sent to the village to ascertain the facts. An Aasha worker also tried to help the victim, but of no avail, he said.
To help pregnant women in villages lacking road connectivity, pregnancy hostels are being set up to facilitate institutional deliveries, the sub collector said. He said pregnant women in inaccessible villages will be shifted to the hostel in their 30th week of pregnancy.
There will be Aasha workers and ANMs round the clock at the hostel and doctors from nearby PHCs will visit to monitor the condition of pregnant women. Already one such hostel started functioning at Araku and two more will be set up at Chintapalle and Paderu within one month, the sub-collector said.