Odisha infrastructure gaps hinder emergency medical access

Recent incidents in Odisha have highlighted the critical lack of all-weather road connectivity and infrastructure in remote regions, complicating emergency medical access.

In the Kalahandi district, a woman and her newborn daughter had to be carried on a stretcher for approximately half a kilometer to reach an ambulance in the Lanjigada block. The ambulance was unable to reach the village of Majhipada due to non-motorable roads. Both the mother and child were admitted to the Lanjigada Community Health Centre and are reported to be in stable condition.

Similarly, in the Deogarh district, a pregnant woman in labor had to be carried by family members across a flooded bridge in the Barkore area after heavy rainfall caused the Tankujura stream to swell. The ambulance could not reach the village of Kaliapal due to the rising water. The woman delivered a baby boy inside the ambulance while en route to the Barkote community health centre. Both are reported to be in stable condition. Residents noted that the bridge becomes submerged annually during the monsoon, creating recurring hazards for medical emergencies.