Chhendipada: In a heart-wrenching scene from Bhaliasar village under Nuagaon panchayat of Chhendipada block in Angul district, a pregnant woman in labour was carried across a swollen river on a makeshift sling by her family after an ambulance failed to reach the village due to the absence of a motorable road. The woman, Mami Pradhan, wife of Rajendra Pradhan, began experiencing severe labour pain Monday.
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Her family called an ambulance, but no vehicle could reach the remote village, as the swollen Aaunli river stood as a major barrier on the way to the nearest health facility. Bereft of any other option, the family placed her on a makeshift sling and carried her on their shoulders across the overflowing river. From there, she was transported in a vehicle to the Bagadia Primary Health Centre (PHC), where she was admitted for delivery. The incident has once again highlighted the lack of basic infrastructure and emergency medical access in remote rural areas of the state. With the state experiencing low-pressure-triggered heavy rainfall, many rivers in various parts of the state are in spate. This has cut off connectivity between the villages and disrupted the normal life of the villagers.
