A woman from the village of Padwani in the Kawant area of Chhotaudepur district faced a challenging situation as she went into labour. Ursi Ben Suresh Bhil needed urgent medical care. However, the path to the main road was rough and unpaved. Local young men came together to help her. They placed her on a makeshift stretcher and carried her for two kilometers to reach the main road. Once there, she was transported by an ambulance to the Kawant Community Health Centre, where she successfully gave birth to a son.
This incident marks the third occurrence of a woman being transported in such a manner in Chhotaudepur district in just ten days. Earlier cases involved women from both Padwani and Bhundmariya villages, as well as Khenda village in the Naswadi area. The health department has been criticized for not sending teams to check on pregnant women in these remote areas. Often, women in need of immediate care cannot reach the health centres in time.
Residents point out that many villages in Kawant and Naswadi still lack proper roads, even decades after independence. The tribal communities living in these hilly areas face severe difficulties, especially during the monsoon season. When a member of their community falls ill, they often have to resort to makeshift stretchers for transportation to healthcare facilities.
Narjibhai Bhil, a local resident from Padwani, expressed their frustration, saying, “Our village does not have a proper road. When my relative went into labour, we had to carry her for two kilometers to reach the main road. If we had a proper road connecting to the villages in Naswadi, we would not face such difficulties.”
Fortunately, Ursi Ben’s health is now stable. She had a successful delivery at the Kawant health centre and is recovering well. Bharat Bhai, the district health officer for Chhotaudepur, assured the community that health department workers would begin assessing pregnant women in the villages and ensure those in need of urgent care would be admitted to nearby facilities. He acknowledged that these incidents highlight the urgent need for better infrastructure in the area.
The local community continues to hope for improvements in road access, which would significantly ease their struggles during emergencies. With the monsoon bringing additional challenges, they are urging authorities to take action.
In summary, the challenges faced by Ursi Ben and others in similar situations underscore the need for better healthcare access and infrastructure in rural Gujarat. Without proper roads, pregnant women and other patients risk their health and lives in emergencies. The community looks forward to a future where such struggles are a thing of the past, and healthcare is accessible to all.
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