Stuck In Heavy Rains, Tribal Woman Delivers Baby Under Tree In Maharashtra

A 27-year-old woman in eastern Vidarbha’s tribal district of Gadchiroli had to deliver her baby under a tree, due to heavy rainfall. Bharti Dorpeti – a woman from madia tribe, coming from village Zarewada of Etapalli taluka, was nine months pregnant. An ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker, Savita Alam, and a contractual health worker, Soni Durge, helped Bharti through the process.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Savita proceeded to inform Gatta Primary Health Centre when Dorpeti went into labour and reached out to her. The primary health care centre is located some ten kilometres from her village. The primary health centre officials including Soni, Savita and a driver took an ambulance for Zarewada to bring the pregnant woman. “As it was raining heavily and the entire locality was flooded, I set off immediately with my delivery kit and emergency medicine and left the village in an ambulance,” Soni said. However, their vehicle could not reach the village due to heavy rainfall and a flooded Gilanguda nullah.

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While they were on the way, their path was obstructed by a truck was already stuck on the road due to the flood. At the same time, Bharti’s relatives had already left for the hospital carrying her on a cot. They had no other available mode of transport at the time. They somehow reached up to the nullah, where Soni and Savita were waiting on the other side. The woman health employees crossed the nullah and reached where Bharti was.

Bharti soon gave birth to a baby girl, in the middle of a forest, under a tree. Both the baby and the mother were then taken to the hospital wading through the flooded nullah. The mother and her baby are reportedly safe.

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Durge who has been working in the remote area for the past six years, said that the tribal women often avoid visiting the PHC until they experience extreme labour pains, even after being advised not to do so.

Alankrita Arora is an intern at SheThePeople.TV.