Sharmili Mallick

Koraput: Incidents of pregnant women being carried in slings and cots to hospitals due to lack of transportation facilities in several remote areas of Odisha, seem to have become a regular affair in the State. In yet another incident, a pregnant woman was forced to cross river in a sling due to the absence of proper road connectivity to a village in Koraput.

As per reports, the tribal woman, Dhaben Muduli of Ghataguda village under Dasmantpur block in the district complained of labour pain on Sunday. Subsequently, family members of Muduli carried her in a sling and waded through the Muran river for 2 kilometres to reach Dasmantpur Community Health Centre (CHC).

Meanwhile, the health condition of Muduli and her child is stated to be stable.
Due to the lack of a road to the village, Ghataguda villagers are often forced to wade through Muran River, thus risking their lives. In 2011, two girls reportedly drowned while crossing the river in the absence of a proper road to the village.

Even after repeated requests from the locals, the district administration is yet to take any measure to solve their problem.

Earlier in November last year, a pregnant woman of Ambapadar village under Dasamantpur block in Koraput district was carried in a sling for around four kilometres due to lack of road communication to the village.

In the same month, an expectant mother of Kandiguda village in Malkangiri district was also carried on a stretcher for at least four kilometres after an ambulance failed to reach the village due to lack of motorable road.

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