Bhubaneswar: There may be umpteen reasons for ambulance failures in interior areas of the State, but it’s the women patients, especially expectant mothers, who suffer most due to the government's apathy. In two more such incidents, a pregnant woman in Malkangiri was carried on cot for five kms while another expectant mother had to deliver on road due to ambulance failure in Bhadrak.
As per reports, one Radha Khila of Kutraguda village in Badadural panchayat under Khairaput block in Malkangiri complained of labour pain on Monday.
The Asha worker in the village immediately called up 102 ambulance services, but the ambulance could not reach her due to non-motorable roads in the area. A few villagers then carried her on a cot for around five kms where a 102 ambulance had been stationed.
However, the 102 Ambulance services in its clarification mentioned that the road was in such bad condition that the ambulance could not move further.
Describing the sequence of events, the ambulance staff said, "We received a call at around 1:35 pm following which our 102 ambulance from Mathili was sent to that place. But it was stationed 5 kms before the village as it could not move further due to the non-motorable road."
"The relatives of the patient carried the patient on a cot to ambulance. The ambulance waited for about 45 minutes. The patient was then taken to Khairaput CHC," they said.
In another incident in Bhadrak, an expectant mother was forced to deliver her baby on a trolley rickshaw near Routpada in Chandbali today after ambulance failed to reach on time.
As soon as the woman complained of labour pain, her family members called up both 102 and 108 ambulance services, but none could reach their house. Left to fend for themselves, the family members were carrying her in a trolley rickshaw when mid way, she delivered a baby boy.
Condition of both mother and the child is stable now, informed doctors at the Chandbali Community Health Centre.