A tragic incident occurred in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh on July 8, where a woman gave birth to four children inside an auto-rickshaw while en route to a medical facility. Unfortunately, all four newborns passed away shortly after birth. Following this devastating loss, family members protested and raised a loud outcry, accusing the authorities of failing to provide an emergency ambulance when it was needed most. They expressed strong dissatisfaction with the available public health services.
Reason for the infants' death
The woman's husband claimed that if the ambulance had arrived on time, their four children might have been saved. The family alleges they contacted the emergency ambulance service after labor pains began, but when they received no response, they were left with no choice but to transport her to the hospital in an auto-rickshaw. However, Dr. D.J. Mohanty, the District Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), stated that the death of the infants was due to premature birth and incomplete development. According to the health official, the mother, Rajni Singaram from Naigaon, was only in the seventh month of her pregnancy when she began experiencing labor pain.
Journey to the hospital and medical condition
Initially, the woman was taken to a government health center in Ghuthas. Given the critical nature of the situation, she was referred to the Community Health Center in Bichhiya. Dr. Mohanty explained that the delivery occurred inside the private vehicle before they could reach the facility. He noted that the four infants—three girls and one boy—had passed away because they were born prematurely and weighed approximately 1.5 kilograms each. The health official further confirmed that following the delivery, the mother was admitted to the Bichhiya Community Health Center, where she remains under medical care and is considered to be out of danger.
Official response and investigation
Regarding the allegations of negligence, Mandla District Magistrate Rahul Namdeo Dhote informed that they have not yet received any formal complaint concerning the matter. He stated that if a complaint is filed, the administration will conduct a thorough investigation and initiate necessary action accordingly. As of now, the administration is waiting for a formal grievance to be lodged before taking further official steps in the case, while the incident continues to spark questions about the accessibility of healthcare services in the region.
