Madhya Pradesh: No bridge, no ambulance! Woman gives birth on a cot in the middle of a raging river, video goes viral
In Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, an ambulance was unable to reach due to a lack of roads and bridges. After this, villagers safely delivered a baby on a cot in the middle of a raging river. A video of the system’s negligence went viral.
Madhya Pradesh: A shocking and system-shattering incident has come to light in Chhindwara district. A pregnant woman was forced to give birth on a cot in the middle of a raging river due to the lack of an ambulance. Heavy rains cut off this area from the main road, and the villagers’ long-standing demand for a bridge has remained unheeded.
City and Local Guide
This horrific incident occurred in the Lohari Mohalla of Hathoda Hiri village in the Amarwara block. During the monsoon, the river, which overflows with rainwater, completely cuts off approximately 20 families living there. A video of the incident surfaced on Sunday, showing villagers carrying a pregnant woman on a cot across a swollen river. The video exposed the daily hardships faced by residents of the area.
According to family members, Shankar Vishwakarma’s 35-year-old wife, Savita Vishwakarma, suddenly experienced severe labor pains on Wednesday evening. Alarmed relatives immediately called the 108 ambulance service. However, due to the river’s overflowing waters and the lack of a proper road, the ambulance was unable to reach their neighborhood.
With no other way to help, the family and villagers were forced to place the woman on a cot and set out on foot to cross the river. While wading through the rapidly flowing water, Savita’s pain intensified, and she gave birth to the baby on the cot.
The villagers managed to reach the other side of the river with the mother and child, where they waited for an ambulance. But when no help arrived despite waiting for a long time, they gave up and resorted to a motorcycle. They were taken on the same motorcycle to Amarwada Civil Hospital, where doctors gave the reassuring news that both mother and newborn were completely healthy.
Geographical Context
The woman’s brother-in-law, Gopal Vishwakarma, expressed his anguish, explaining that their village is completely cut off every year during the monsoon. He said that his sister-in-law was in severe pain, and despite calling an ambulance, it could not reach them due to the river, forcing her to resort to a cot and deliver on the way.
Gopal leveled serious allegations against the administration, saying that the villagers have repeatedly appealed for a concrete bridge and road, but no one has listened. The same situation arises every year during the rainy season, and even schoolchildren have to risk their lives crossing the river daily. The villagers have filed written complaints with the District Panchayat, SDM, and public representatives, but no concrete action has been taken to date.
Regarding this entire incident, health officials at Amarwada Civil Hospital say they have no clear understanding of why the ambulance failed to arrive on time. A health official explained that the 108 ambulance service is operated directly from the Bhopal control room, but the good news is that both mother and child have reached the hospital and are safe.
This incident has once again exposed the ground reality of health services in remote areas of Madhya Pradesh. Even though the scope of emergency ambulance services has expanded in the state, poor roads and lack of infrastructure still pose a major obstacle to timely medical assistance in many villages. Following this incident, angry villagers have once again intensified their demand for a bridge and an all-weather paved road.
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy: Hindi News
