A pregnant tribal woman in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district had to be carried nearly three kilometres on a makeshift stretcher by villagers after the absence of a motorable road prevented an ambulance from reaching her village.
Killo Neelima, a resident of Talaripadu village in Anantagiri mandal, developed severe labour pains early on Friday. With her condition requiring urgent medical attention, her family attempted to arrange an ambulance through the 108 emergency service. However, the vehicle could not reach the village due to the lack of road connectivity.
With no other option, villagers put together a makeshift stretcher using wooden poles and cloth, placed Neelima on it and carried her along a narrow, rocky path through the hills for around three kilometres. They eventually reached a nearby village, where a private auto was arranged to take her to the Lungaparti government hospital for treatment.
The incident has once again brought attention to the difficulties faced by residents of remote tribal settlements, where poor road connectivity can turn medical emergencies into dangerous journeys.
The incident also drew criticism from opposition parties, which questioned the state government's claims of development and highlighted the continuing infrastructure gaps in tribal areas. They called for better road connectivity and access to essential healthcare facilities.
(With inputs from media reports)