TN Pregnant Woman Carried In Doli; Wake-Up Call For Health Infra?

A 22-year-old pregnant woman in extreme labour pains had to be transported in a doli over a 5-km forest terrain from the Nekkanamalai hillock to the nearest hospital during the early hours of October 3 due to the absence of a proper road.

This incident has prompted local residents to urge authorities to accelerate the process of constructing a drivable road on the hillock.

Pregnant Woman Carried In Doli: What Happened?

When Rajeshwari (22), who is married to Rajagiri (32), began experiencing labour pains at 3 am on October 3, her family had no alternative but to carry her in a doli. After crossing the hillock, an auto-rickshaw was used to transport her from the foothill to the nearest Vallipattu government hospital, which was situated 4 km away.

Remarkably, within just 10 minutes of reaching the hospital, Rajeshwari gave birth to a baby boy.

According to The New Indian Express, expressing his concern, Rajagiri remarked, "Had there been any delay, I shudder to think about the consequences. Using a doli to carry a pregnant woman is an unacceptable situation, but we were left with no other choice."

Further sharing his discontent with authorities, the father of the newborn said that it wasn't the first time such an incident had occurred in our area. In 2019, a critically ill woman was transported to the hospital in a doli. He said, "It is imperative that the authorities take immediate action to address this issue."

Not The First Incident

Over a month ago, in Telangana, villagers carried a pregnant woman in a doli.

The woman, hailing from Bhadradri Kothagudem district, experienced labour pains and was transported to the Primary Health Centre using a 'doli,' which was carried by two male members of her family.

They conveyed her on their shoulders over a distance of approximately 20 km to reach the Satyanarayanapuram Primary Health Centre.

Subsequently, the woman was transferred to the Bhadrachalam Government Hospital via an ambulance from the health centre, where she successfully delivered her baby.

Poor Health Facilities

These incidents are not isolated cases but indicative of the larger healthcare crisis prevailing in rural India. Rural healthcare infrastructure often lags significantly behind urban areas. It's not merely about roads or ambulances; it's also about the availability of well-equipped medical facilities, trained healthcare professionals, and awareness among the local population.

These tales, one from the Nekkanamalai hillock and the other from the Bhadradri Kothagudem district shed light on the pressing issue of inadequate healthcare infrastructure in rural areas of India. They expose the harsh realities that many individuals, particularly women, face when seeking essential medical services. These incidents are symptomatic of a larger problem that demands our attention and immediate action.

How Can It Be Solved?

The stories of these two women are not just tales of hardship; they are a call to action. We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of rural communities. A concerted effort from both state and central governments to invest in rural healthcare infrastructure needs to be made.

The government and non-governmental organizations must work together to provide accessible transportation options, especially in remote areas. Ambulance services and community-based healthcare workers can play a vital role in bridging the gap between rural populations and medical facilities.

Adequate healthcare is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right. It's high time we prioritise the development of rural healthcare infrastructure and ensure that no one has to endure such harrowing journeys to access medical care. Only through collective effort and commitment can we truly make healthcare accessible to all, regardless of where they live.

Views expressed by the author are their own

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