Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Due to the unavailability of an ambulance, a pregnant woman had to be taken to the district hospital by bus, where she gave birth en route in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur.
According to reports, Poonam Raikwar, a resident of Chandranagar, experienced labor pains late Saturday night. Around 4 AM on Sunday, her family took her to the Chandranagar Community Health Center. Staff there referred her to the district hospital. However, no ambulance was available on call.
With no alternative arrangements provided, the family was compelled to take Poonam to the district hospital in a passenger bus. During the journey, she went into labor pain and delivered her newborn in the bus.
The women on board showed presence of mind and assisted her during the delivery. The bus driver too acted responsibly and took the bus straight to the nearby hospital.
Due to the prompt action by the fellow passengers, both the mother and the newborn are healthy. The incident has raised serious questions about the preparedness of health services and the ambulance system.
While a major tragedy was averted due to timely help from citizens, there are growing demands for accountability and action against those responsible for the negligence.
