VIZIANAGARAM: In the absence of proper roads from Tadivalasa village of Pachipenta mandal, a postpartum mother and her newborn were shifted to the nearest PHC on a doli (a makeshift stretcher) on Tuesday.

About 10 people carried P Suvarna, a tribal woman, from the hilltop to the foothills — about 5 km. “It was difficult to shift her, so we brought her to the foothills and then by an auto-rickshaw to the PHC,” the woman’s brother, Raju, said.  With the help of  local women and traditional birth attendants, the woman had delivered a baby on late Monday night. The problem was the placenta was stuck in the mother’s uterus, which pained both mother and the baby.  Seeing her delicate health condition, family members along with some villagers transported her on a makeshift stretcher to Guruvunaidupeta primary health centre (PHC).

At the PHC, after administering the first aid, the doctors referred the woman to Saluru hospital. A 108 ambulance ferried here there.  

It may be mentioned here that Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) officials have set up pregnant women hostels in Parvatipuram and Saluru. The objective was to shift the pregnant women from the hilltop villages a week before the date of delivery.

“In this particular case, the woman delivered about two week before the date of delivery (March first week),” Vizianagaram, DM&HO SV Ramana Kumari told TNIE. She said both baby and mother are safe and undergoing treatment in Saluru hospital.