VISAKHAPATNAM: A tribal woman gave birth to a baby boy in a ‘doli’ (makeshift stretcher) in the forest area while she was being shifted to hospital in ASR district.
It is the third such incident in the past one week when sick or pregnant people were carried in a ‘doli’ in north Andhra Pradesh.
The incident took place in the forest area under G Madugula Mandal in ASR district on Thursday. However, it came to light on Friday.
K Radha, a native of Nittamamidi village under G Madugula developed labour pains in the wee hours on Thursday. There is no road connectivity to her hilltop village.
Radha’s husband and family members waited till sunrise and they decided to shift her in ‘doli’ from the village to nearest motorable road Vasamamidi (around 20 km) to get the Ambulance service to reach the hospital.
They started walking at 8am on Thursday and after travelling 15 km, Radha’s labour pains became severe and she gave birth to a baby boy in the ‘doli’ in the forest cover. The infant fell from the ‘doli’ and suffered injuries near his eye.
After a short break, they again started walking and reached Vasamamidi where a 108 vehicle was waiting. The 108 staff provided first aid treatment to the infant and the woman and they have shifted both the baby and mother to the government at Paderu.
The doctors said that the condition of the infant and woman is stable, and they were availing treatment. The infant suffered only a small injury only and the infant is taking mike from the mother, they added.
There is no proper road connectivity to our villages even 75 years after Independence. We have been facing so many problems getting medical assistance. We made several representations to the officials and political leaders on road Connectivity, but nobody is responding, they added.
It may be recalled that a 40-year-old-man K Jogulu died due to delay in reaching hospital in the absence of proper road-connectivity and culverts under Gantyada Mandal in Vizianagaram district.
Jogulu, a native of Diguva Kondaparthi village under Gantyada Mandal was carried on a make-shift stretcher for over 7 km despite the heavy rains and slippery way to reach the bank of Thatipudi reservoir from there they travelled on a small boat to reach other side of the reservoir. Jogulu was admitted to the district hospital in Vizianagaram. Jogulu lost his final breath on Sunday morning while he was availing treatment.
