Rajnagar: Amid a second wave of flooding in the Brahmani River, two doctors played the role of Good Samaritans to rescue a pregnant woman in labour and waded through waist-deep floodwaters to bring her to safety.
The doctors are being hailed by the local residents for their bravery and selfless acts.
Three panchayats in Kendrapara district’s Rajnagar block remain inundated in the aftermath of the flood, which affected nearly 20,000 residents.
With no boat service arranged by the administration, Dr Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty, chief medical officer of Rajnagar Community Health Centre (CHC) and his colleague, Dr Manoranjan Nath, reached Chakibanka village in Bandhapada panchayat on foot.
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Clad in traditional napkins (gamuchhas) and armed with umbrellas and sticks, they walked about a kilometre through waist-deep fl oodwater to reach the residence of Sanghamitra Rout, wife of Prasanna Kumar Rout.
Assessing her condition, the doctors arranged a trolley rickshaw to carry her from Chakibanka village to Adhajodi, around 1 km in distance, with the help of villagers.
Once brought to Adhajodi, an ambulance took her to Rajnagar CHC for delivery and urgent care.
The doctor duo’s act of courage has drawn widespread praise from locals.
In a similar case, another pregnant woman, Ritanjali Rout, wife of Prabhat Rout of Tangantela village, was also rescued and admitted to the CHC from a flood-affected area.
PNN
