A pregnant woman in labour was carried for nearly seven kilometres on an ambulance stretcher through rivers and streams after an emergency response team found there was no motorable road connecting her remote village in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district to the main road, officials said.
The incident took place in Anlakanta village under Dudhiani panchayat of Karanjia block, where Sumitra Shundhi was experiencing labour pains and needed to be taken to a hospital.
A 108 ambulance team reached the area but could not drive the vehicle to the woman's location due to the lack of road connectivity. With no other means of transport available, the ambulance staff decided to carry her on foot on the stretcher.
The team, comprising driver Gopal Chandra Nayak, attendant Ankit Mohanta and Munuram Soren, carried the woman for around seven kilometres, negotiating difficult terrain and crossing rivers and streams before reaching a point accessible by road.
She was then placed in the ambulance and taken to Karanjia Hospital, where she was admitted for further medical care.
The incident has highlighted the difficulties faced by residents of remote areas of Mayurbhanj in accessing emergency healthcare, particularly pregnant women who require timely transportation to medical facilities.
Speaking to ANI, Mayurbhanj ADM Netrananda Mallick said the administration had received information about the incident and would first ascertain which department is responsible for the road before taking further action.
"I got this information now. In this context, we will discuss with the Medical Officer and the BDO or the Rural Development Department. First, we have to know which department the road belongs to," Mallick said.
He said the administration would take up the matter with the District Collector and examine the connectivity situation in the area.
"The government is giving top priority to the basic needs of the people, particularly health, education, road connectivity and water facilities," the ADM said.
Mallick added that the District Collector regularly reviews the functioning of different line departments to improve facilities in areas that remain disconnected from the district headquarters.
He said the matter would be investigated and, after identifying the department responsible, necessary instructions would be issued to improve road connectivity and other basic facilities in the locality.
(With inputs from ANI)
