Pregnant tribal woman from Karnataka's Nagarahole forest forced to walk for ambulance

MYSURU: With lack of proper infrastructure and road connectivity, the plight of tribals living in the fringes of Nagarahole forest comes to the fore again after a pregnant woman was made to walk for more than a kilometre to avail ambulance service.

The incident was reported at Bommalapura Haadi near Boodnur village in HD Kote taluk of Mysuru.

According to the Jenu Kuruba people residing in this tribal hamlet, Ranjitha, a woman in her early 20s experienced labour pain. Her family members immediately alerted ASHA worker Mangala, who is the go-to person for any health issues in the hamlet.

Mangala immediately called an ambulance driver who rushed to the spot. Though the ambulance belonging to the Vivekananda Memorial Hospital, a rural tribal multispeciality hospital, came on time, the poor condition of the road connecting the hamlet posed a great challenge for the vehicle to reach the doorstep of the patient.

With no option left, the young woman was made to walk amid heavy downpour for about 1.5 km from her house to reach the ambulance. The ASHA worker also walked along with her holding an umbrella. "It’s fortunate that she was immediately shifted to the hospital on time and delivered a healthy baby. If it was during the night hours, things would have been different," Mangala said adding elephants and other wild animals on the stretch are a common sight. She also pointed out the struggles faced by children going to schools and Anganwadis.

Kalappa, a resident, said earlier ambulance were able to reach our hamlet and we could shift the patient to the hospital in that. "Recently we were told that a road would be laid to connect the hamlet and we were happy. Even the required stones were also brought. But forest officials have not given consent to it and we are at the receiving end. The road condition worsens in monsoon and also when it rains," he said.