Ambulance failure: Unborn child dies leaving mother in critical condition

Kalahandi: Mocking at the failing healthcare facilities in the rural areas in the state, another case of ambulance failure has resulted in the death of an unborn child while the pregnant woman is still fighting for life.

The incident happened at Kansabundei village under Lanjigarh block, where despite calling 102 ambulance to carry a pregnant woman to hospital, the service failed to reach. In pain, the woman was carried in a cloth swing tied to bamboo pole for 6 kilometres.  Later she was shifted to Lanjigargh with the help of a relative's vehicle. From there, an ambulance took her to Bhawanipatna hospital where she is currently undergoing treatment in critical condition post a surgery.

Since the surgery was carried out nearly 12 hours late, the unborn child of the woman died.

Asked about the incident, the ambulance driver said, “The vehicle cannot ply on the kuccha road in the village so I informed the matter to the control room and asked if the patient can be brought to the main road but when they said they were unable to do so, we returned empty handed.

Meanwhile, the Block Development Officer (BDO) has ordered a probe into the incident.

Earlier on Monday in Kalyansinghpur, a pregnant lady was similarly carried for nearly five km on dangerous terrains and across Nagabali River on a stretcher. Later on Tuesday another pregnant woman delivered her baby on a panchayat office premises in Narayanpatna. A woman had also delivered her baby in front of the gate of Bhanjanagar hospital.