Patna: A nine-month pregnant woman had to be carried on a buffalo cart to hospital in Bihar when she went into labour as the local hospital refused to provide her with an ambulance citing poor road conditions. Luckily, both the mother and her baby are safe now.
The shocking incident took place in Katihar district, some 394 km east of Patna, a couple of days back, highlighting the pathetic health condition in the state. Authorities have now ordered an investigation into the incident.
Naimul Haque, a resident of Amdabad block, called up the local hospital for an ambulance when his daughter went into labour on Thursday but the authorities flatly refused any help. He then called up other private health services for ambulance but got the same treatment.
Left with no option, he hurriedly arranged a local buffalo cart for his daughter and rushed to the nearest primary health centre. Eventually, he reached the hospital two hours later but luckily nothing untoward happened and everything ended on a good note.
Road washed away
What was further shocking, they had to use the same buffalo cart to rush back home as the hospital again refused to provide them ambulance. As per the report the four km-long road from patient’s village to the hospital was washed away in last year’s floods. Since then no efforts have been made by the government to repair it.
“This is very shocking. We have taken the matter seriously and ordered an investigation. Whoever are found guilty will face action,” deputy superintendent of the hospital Asha Sharan said.
Bihar has reported several deaths of mothers or their babies for not admitting the delivery patients to the hospitals on time. The government report though claims that the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India has declined from 122 in 2015-17 to 113 in 2016-18.
