In a heartbreaking incident from Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, a pregnant woman was forced to give birth on the roadside, just 800 meters from the District Hospital, after failing to receive timely medical help. The woman, Biya Begum from the remote village of Kurna in Keswan, had travelled 40 km for her delivery. However, she went into labour near Bunastan Chowk, and despite frantic calls for help, no ambulance with medical staff arrived in time. Local women came together to help her deliver safely, preserving her dignity with makeshift bedsheets.
Eyewitnesses, including local resident Mohammad Irfan Mir and advocate Syed Faisal, expressed deep frustration at the absence of health officials and the slow ambulance response. Shockingly, when the ambulance did arrive after 30 minutes, it had no medical staff and carried a torn stretcher. It was only due to the efforts of retired health worker Farooq Ahmed Ahanger, who happened to pass by, that the woman and her newborn were eventually taken to the hospital. Despite the challenges, both mother and child are now stable, though the ordeal has left locals outraged.
Residents, including local journalist and mother Sapna Thakur, criticized political leaders for neglecting healthcare in the Chenab Valley while engaging in public disputes. The absence of an ASHA worker and the hospital’s poor ambulance condition further highlight the systemic collapse. Authorities have now suspended the medical officer on duty and initiated an inquiry. Locals are demanding accountability, better healthcare infrastructure, and a serious political will to prevent such tragedies in the future.
