Umaria:A woman was forced to leave a Primary Health Care Centre in Umaria in Madhya Pradesh within 24 hours after delivery. With no option left she walked three kilometres on a bumpy road and crossed a hill to reach her home.
Separately, there have been protests in the state capital Bhopal due to the continuous death of children in a hospital in Shahdol area. There seems to be hardly any improvement in medical services in the state.
Bisarti Bai, a resident of the Mardari village located on a remote mountain, gave birth to a child at Nowrozabad Primary Health Center in Umaria district. When she asked for the support of Janani Express to go home, the health workers present in the health centre did not listen to her. She was forced to go home on foot after being told that the vehicle was defective.
Seeing the uncooperative behaviour of the staff of the Nowrozabad Primary Health Center, Bisrati Bai's mother, Chaiti Baiga made a bundle of clothes and placed it on her head. Meanwhile, the mother took her two-day-old baby son and travelled to her village on foot in the bitter cold. Bisrati Bai's mother said that although the distance of Mardari from Nowrozabad is 20 to 22 kilometres, she reached the village with her daughter and child by the hill, Nagotal Ashram and then the village Patpara.
Woman forced to walk back home in MP after childbirth Also read:Pregnant woman delivers baby under torchlight
On the way, Bisarti Bai’s condition deteriorated, but they somehow managed to reach their village Mardari by taking short breaks on the way. Everybody except the healthcare workers were heartbroken to see them walking this way. Some tried to help them with motorbikes but could only take them to short distances. Ultimately the mountainous route had to be crossed on foot.
This incident reveals the horrible condition of MP’s health institutions.
ETV Bharat retells the tragedy
Describing her own story, Chaiti told ETV Bharat that she tried to be as cooperative as possible. However, the hospital told them their vehicle was damaged and asked them to leave. Seeing the ruthlessness of the employees in the hospital, they had no choice but to struggle as they were helpless. She had to travel a long painful journey with her daughter and grandson.
Government officials unfazed
National Health Mission director Chitra Bhardwaj had an online meeting after Shahdol's incident. Top officials and Deputy Director of the Health Department were included in the meeting. During the review at the government level, it was found that the reason behind the death of the children was the negligence of the field staff.
Health Minister Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary visited the division and also spoke about the CMHO meeting of the three districts of Shahdol division. He said that the arrangements should be rectified but the situation does not seem to be improving.
'The incident will be investigated'
When ETV Bharat tried to talk to the Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO), they did not even come on the phone. When this news reached the Collector, he immediately addressed the matter by talking to BMO Kareli and CMHO. Talking to ETV Bharat, he said that this is a very unfortunate situation. Even after the government spends a large amount on these facilities, the mother had to go home on foot in the bitter weather.
Also read: Police, villagers help pregnant woman in flooded Guntur village
24 children died in the Shahdol district hospital
Cases of child deaths were continuously being reported from Shahdol district hospital since 26 November. Children were dying every day due to the carelessness of the staff. Civil surgeon Dr. GS Parihar of Shahdol District Hospital has told that so far, a total of 24 children have died there.
