Patrapur: A pregnant woman carried on a basket by her family members due to the lack of a motorable road delivered a newborn baby on the way to hospital at Badua village of Buratala panchayat under Patrapur block in Ganjam district Saturday.
According to reports, Hiramani Naik, wife of Gobind Naik, complained of labour pain in the morning.
However, due to the absence of a motorable road in the village, an ambulance could not reach the village. With no options left, the family members and some villagers carried Hiramani on a basket.
On their way to the hospital, Hiramani delivered a newborn baby boy while they were crossing a hill. Later, they carried the mother and the baby and walked for 5 kilometres until they reached Buratula.
She was then rushed to the Patrapur Community Health Centre (CHC) from Buratula in a government vehicle.
Later she had been shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur where the condition of both the mother and the newborn was stated to be normal after treatment.
Absence of motorable roads and lack of bridges across several streams in remote areas continue to haunt people depriving them of timely healthcare services.
In another incident reported from 
Hatasilimili village under Athamallik police limits in Angul, a patient had to be carried on shoulders by four persons while crossing a river in the absence of a bridge.
According to sources, Bharat Dehuri sustained critical burn injuries after he came in contact with an electric wire while ploughing his farm. Family members called an ambulance, however, the vehicle could not reach the village due to lack of bridge over a river that crosses the village.
Family members with help of some village youths shouldered Dehury and crossed the river from where he was put in the ambulance and taken to Athamallik sub-divisional hospital.
The incident spread resentment among the locals who blamed the administration of sitting idle without constructing a bridge despite repeated pleas. Situation worsens during rainy season as the river swells up, they added.
They warned of a mass demonstration in future if their demands for a bridge were not fulfilled.
PNN
