4 days ago
Floodwaters Force Villagers to Carry Pregnant Woman to Care
A pregnant woman in a remote Maharashtra village needed urgent medical help.
Heavy rain had flooded the route to her village.
The ambulance could not travel all the way because there was no paved road or bridge.
Villagers and health workers carried her on a stretcher across the flooded area.
She was placed in an ambulance and taken to a health centre.
Doctors found that her blood level was dangerously low.
She was then sent to a larger hospital for more care.
Officials said the response was quick, while the incident showed how difficult it is to reach the village during floods.
Chhaya Naitam, 26, went into labor in Koindul village on Friday morning.
Floodwaters, rough terrain, and the lack of a paved road and bridge prevented an ambulance from reaching the village directly.
Villagers and health workers carried Naitam across the flooded area on a foldable stretcher to a waiting ambulance.
She reached Kasansur Primary Health Centre at 9:30 am and was later referred to LKAM Hospital in Hedri because of critically low hemoglobin.
The health department said alerts, ambulance dispatch, and coordination enabled timely assistance despite severe infrastructure problems.
- Who
- Chhaya Naitam, a 26-year-old resident of Koindul village, was assisted by villagers and health workers.
- What
- Villagers carried Naitam across floodwaters after an ambulance could not reach the village directly, and she was taken for medical treatment.
- Where
- The incident occurred in Koindul village in Etapalli taluka, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra; she was treated at Kasansur Primary Health Centre and referred to LKAM Hospital in Hedri.
- When
- She went into labor on Friday morning; the health department said the alert came at 7:40 am, the ambulance was dispatched at 8 am, and she reached the PHC at 9:30 am.
- Why
- Heavy seasonal rains caused flooding, while the remote settlement lacked a paved road and connecting bridge.
Villagers’ Ordeal
Health Department’s Response
Access to emergency care
Villagers’ Ordeal
The incident showed the danger faced by residents because floodwaters, difficult terrain, and the lack of a paved road and bridge blocked direct ambulance access.
Health Department’s Response
Officials said the ambulance was dispatched promptly but had to stop because of inundation, after which locals and health staff safely moved the patient to the vehicle.
Timeliness of assistance
Villagers’ Ordeal
Videos and reports depicted villagers carrying a pregnant woman across swollen floodwaters, highlighting the practical delay and risks involved in reaching care.
Health Department’s Response
The health department said the alert was received at 7:40 am, the ambulance was dispatched at 8 am, and rapid coordination ensured safe transit without critical delay.
Key facts
- Patient
- Chhaya Naitam, 26, a resident of Koindul village
- Initial alert
- Local ASHA volunteer Nirmala Narote was notified at 7:40 am
- Ambulance dispatch
- The ambulance was sent toward Koindul at 8 am
- Road obstruction
- Flooding forced the ambulance to stop near a flooded drain at 8:30 am
- PHC arrival
- Naitam reached Kasansur Primary Health Centre at 9:30 am
- Medical finding
- A doctor found her hemoglobin to be critically low
- Referral
- She was referred at 11:30 am to LKAM Hospital in Hedri








