Home / Health / Newborn Tragedy: Mother Walks 3km for Ambulance
Newborn Tragedy: Mother Walks 3km for Ambulance
1 Oct
Summary
- New mother carried her newborn nearly 3 km to reach an ambulance.
- Lack of motorable roads prevented ambulance access to a remote village.
- Residents cited decades of neglect for poor infrastructure and services.
In Keonjhar district's Banspal block, a harrowing incident unfolded when a woman, Bilash Munda, delivered her baby girl at home. Following delivery, she had to undertake a nearly 3-kilometer walk, cradling her newborn, to reach a waiting ambulance. The ambulance could not access her hamlet, Desabandha Sahi, due to a lack of proper road connectivity.
This difficult journey underscores the plight of the approximately 40 tribal and Munda families residing in Desabandha Sahi. They have consistently appealed to authorities for a motorable road, a basic necessity that remains unfulfilled even decades after India's independence. The absence of all-weather roads isolates the community, severely impacting access to essential services, especially during emergencies.
Local officials acknowledged the challenge, with the Chief District Medical Officer vowing to discuss the infrastructure issues with community health center officials to raise them with block authorities. However, residents and tribal leaders expressed frustration, citing the failure of successive governments to address their fundamental needs and developmental concerns, leaving them cut off from critical aid.
