The couple with their newborn (right); the two policemen (Express Photo)

Two policemen on night patrolling duty turned angels for a pregnant woman in Dharamkot town of Moga Friday night as she delivered her baby on roadside after medical facilities including a government primary health centre (PHC) refused to open their doors for her.

The woman Jyoti (30), from Bhai Ka Khoon colony of Dharamkot, started having labor pains around 9 pm.

Riding pillion on a motorbike, she and her husband struggled for nearly three hours to find a hospital.

The three facilities where they went, did not even open their doors. Even the local government primary health centre (PHC) at Dharamkot was empty with its gates locked. Health officials claimed that all doctors at PHC Dharmkot were shifted for COVID-19 duty at nearby Janer and there was no staff available for emergency night duty at PHC Dharamkot.

Later, two private facilities too refused to attend Jyoti, claimed her husband Harmesh (32), a daily wager.

They were still searching for a medical facility, when two policemen on night PCR duty — ASI Bikkar Singh and constable Sukhjinder Singh — stopped the bike for routine checking at Lohgarh Chowk. Seeing the woman writhing in pain and her condition deteriorating, the policemen arranged for wooden benches, called an acquaintance nurse from her home and other women from neighborhood and asked them to safely deliver the baby there itself.

Close to midnight, the woman delivered a baby boy.

The policemen later dropped the woman and her family home. A video of the incident has been shared on social media. “Bibi koi kaali na kario, maa tey bachhe nu koi nuksaan na hove.. Tussi rabb da shukar guzaar karo saada nahi. (Don’t be in any hurry. Mother and baby should not suffer any harm. Thank the Almighty not us),” the policemen are heard saying as Jyoti’s mother-in-law started thanking them for arranging everything.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Harmesh, said, “We will never forget what transpired last night. We first went to Dharamkot PHC where doors were locked. Then a private nursing home and a private nurse who runs a clinic also refused to even open the doors. The private nurse said she is scared to treat anyone because of Coronavirus. Then we also called 108 ambulance but it was ferrying some other patient.”

Expressing gratitude for both policemen, Harmesh said, “Saade layi farsishtey banke aaye eh mulazam (These cops came as angels for us). We can never thank them enough,” he said.

ASI Bikkar Singh, speaking to The Indian Express said that they had stopped bike for checking suspecting something wrong. “Due to curfew we check each vehicle passing on road in dead of night. When we saw the family struggling to find a hospital for a pregnant woman, Sukhjinder (constable) and I decided to help them. Had we wasted more time searching for a hospital or a nursing home, woman might not have survived”.

No staff for emergency, all on COVID duty: SMO

Dr Rakesh Bali, senior medical officer (SMO), Kot Ise Khan, admitted that no staff was present at Dharamkot PHC last night on emergency duty. “They were all on duty for Coronavirus at Janer centre. So, no one was available for emergency duty at PHC Dharmkot where family first went,” he said.