Woman delivers baby in van

Rayagarh: In yet another example of the poor ambulance service in the State, a pregnant woman of Rayagarh district delivered her baby on the way to hospital in a Tata Magic van as the ambulance failed to reach on time.

Sources said both the new born baby and the mother are stable.

Sources said when the woman of Palakhamana village under Singari Panchayat in Kalyansingpur felt labour pain, her family members called the 102 ambulance service to admit her in a hospital.

"After half an hour I again called up. But it was in vain. After sometime when no vehicle turned up, I called a Tata Magic and took my wife to the Kalyansinghpur Community Health Centre (CHC). Unfortunately, before reaching the hospital my wife delivered the baby," Chitra Bartia, husband of the woman said.

Admitting the fault, the hospital authorities however said she has been provided with all facilities.

"Since many places are inaccessible in the region, many a times vehicles fail to reach the needy. As per government rules, we have given Rs 250 to the couple," Raygada CDMO Anand Padhi said.