Kalyansinghpur: In yet another instance of miserable ambulance service, a woman delivered a baby on a roadside Sunday while walking to a nearby hospital after she did not get ambulance service at Jampadar village under this block in Rayagada district.
According to reports, Hikka Golapi, wife of Hikka Sarabu, went into labour Saturday night. As the road to the village was in a bad shape, the woman could not be brought to the hospital. Her family members had to wait till morning for an ambulance and took all care of her.
However, in the wee hours, Golapi’s pain became unbearable and she needed urgent treatment at a hospital. Her family members contacted an ambulance. But the service was not available to the woman.
With no way out, some women of the village and an ASHA helped Golapi walk in a forested route to the hospital in cold and foggy weather.
Hardly had she gone a few yards away from the village, Golapi could not move any further. Golapi underwent severe labour pain while women escorting her held a saree around her as she delivered a baby girl.
As there was chill all around, the women made a bonfire near Golapi and the newborn to keep them warm.
Two hours later, an ambulance came and took the woman and the baby to the nearby community health centre (CHC).
A doctor at the CHC said the condition of the mother and the child was stable.
Locals alleged that Collector Punam Tapas Guha had reviewed healthcare scenario of Kalyansingpur five months ago and assured the villagers of opening mother care centres and delivery centres each at Sikarpai, Parsali and Badadwarasahi so that pregnant women would not face such difficulties. But the assurance has not been executed, locals lamented. PNN
