A pregnant woman and her unborn child died in Palghar while being transported in an unequipped ambulance, sparking outrage over healthcare lapses in rural areas
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A 26-year-old pregnant woman from Maharashtra's Palghar district tragically lost her life, along with her unborn child, while being transported to a hospital in an ambulance lacking oxygen support and necessary medical facilities, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
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The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, has once again brought the spotlight on the lack of adequate healthcare services in tribal and rural regions. The woman, identified as Pinki Dongarkar, a resident of Sarni village, was in critical condition and rushed by her family to Kasa rural hospital. However, due to complications arising from her condition, including Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD) – a condition where the foetus dies in the womb – hospital staff referred her to Silvassa city in the neighbouring Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli for further treatment.
According to PTI reports, despite desperate attempts by her family to secure a specialised ambulance equipped with oxygen and medical support via the '108' emergency service, their requests went unanswered. Instead, they were provided with a regular ambulance by Kasa rural hospital. Tragically, the woman succumbed to her complications en route to Silvassa, and the foetus did not survive.
Palghar Civil Surgeon Dr Ramdas Marad expressed deep regret over the incident, stating that had the woman been brought to the hospital earlier, her life might have been saved. He highlighted the long-standing issue of inadequate ambulance services in the region, which the health department has raised multiple times with authorities. "The lack of specialised ambulances, including those equipped with oxygen and cardiac support, continues to plague healthcare services in Palghar," Dr Marad noted.
The Civil Surgeon further explained that upon arriving at the Kasa hospital, the woman was semi-conscious and exhibited signs of severe infection. He reiterated that issues with the privately-operated '108' emergency service, such as high demand, often lead to delays in providing life-saving transportation.
Palghar BJP MP Dr Hemant Savara termed the incident "extremely saddening" and demanded immediate corrective action. "The ambulance services must have adequate facilities, including oxygen and cardiac support. A doctor should also accompany the patient to ensure proper medical attention during transit. I will personally follow up on this matter with the government to prevent such tragedies in the future," he told PTI.
CPI(M) leader and MLA from Dahanu, Vinod Nikole, also criticised the state government for its lack of action in improving healthcare facilities in tribal areas. Nikole alleged that despite raising the issue during his previous tenure, no measures were taken to address the problem. "The government has displayed apathy towards critical healthcare needs in rural regions while prioritising other schemes such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana," he remarked, according to PTI.
This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to improve healthcare services in rural and tribal areas. The lack of timely access to equipped ambulances has not only cost the lives of the woman and her unborn child but also serves as a stark reminder of the pressing gaps in public health infrastructure.
Local officials, politicians, and healthcare advocates have called for immediate attention to these issues to ensure no family endures such avoidable tragedies in the future.
(With inputs from PTI)
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