Rayagada: The chinks in Odisha’s healthcare system were yet again exposed after a pregnant woman had to be carried across Kalyani river precariously in a ‘bamboo raft’ in flood ravaged Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district.
The shocking visual of the rescue-cum-alternate arrangement made to rush the woman writhing in labour pain was reported exclusively by OTV on Friday.
According to reports, nearly eight to 10 local youths had volunteered and made such arrangements to shift the pregnant lady to Kalyansinghpur hospital as the road connectivity in the remote area was snapped after a bridge at Purunabhatta had collapsed under the impact of floods in Kalyani river on July 16.
Local residents claimed that with no other option, they had taken up the task to shift the lady to the hospital.
Sneha Mishra, a social activist, on the other hand claimed that such incidents have become commonplace due to the corroding health care facilities in remote areas in the state. The situation worsens during the rainy season as bridges and other temporary roads get washed away, she added.
However, in this particular incident, the role of district administration officials is also under scanner as there is always information about pregnant women in respective areas while the data is being monitored by ASHA workers also.
“In case of floods, adequate measures should have been taken to ensure that pregnant and expecting mothers can be shifted much in advance,” said Mishra.
Earlier, the State government was also targeted over poor health care systems and poor infrastructure in the form of better road connectivity after another pregnant lady had to be carried on stretcher in Kalyansinghpur on July 11.
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Four men had carried the woman on their shoulders for nearly five kilometres after they failed to seek an ambulance.
As there are no pucca roads to Sajja village of Sikarpai block, the woman had to be taken on a stretcher since vehicles cannot ply on the muddy kuccha routes.
Besides what is more serious is that the pregnant woman was carried by the men across the Nagabali river with waist deep water and all the way for five kilometres on the potholed road.