Gujarat High Court Seeks Collector's Report On 'Hard Reality' Of Rural Health Facilities After Pregnant Woman Dies On Way To Ambulance

While hearing a suo motu plea on an incident where a pregnant villager who, after being "carried on a cloth stretcher" as there was no road, died on her way to the ambulance pickup point, the Gujarat High Court on Thursday called for a report from the concerned Collector indicating the"hard reality" of the situation and a plan for meeting out such medical emergencies. A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi were hearing a suo motu plea initiated by the high court on October 3 after taking cognizance of news reports of the incident. The news reports indicated that the deceased woman, a resident of village Turkheda in Chhota Udaipur district was carried on a cloth stretcher by the village residents, who had to cover a distance of 5 kms to reach a pick-up point where ambulances could arrive and take her to a primary health centre about 25 kms away for delivery. The court had in its October 3 order noted that as per the reports, the village residents had covered a kilometre on the rocky terrain when the woman went into labor, delivered a baby-girl and breathed her last.During the hearing on Thursday (October 17) advocate DM Devnani appearing in the matter said, “The PIL is drafted on the lines of the order passed by the Hon'ble Court. There are three issues at this stage which are at large...The first issue in my humble submission subject to what the learned Advocate General has to say, what would be the medical facilities available in the entire state for…when we talk about equality, the Hon'ble Court has observed at one stage there is Statute of Unity standing tall and on the other side are these tribal villages. What are the health facilities that the state today has with regard to not only this village but such tribal and remote villages which will require some attention of the state through my Lords".With respect to the second aspect Devnani pointed to the lack of infrastructure facilities and said, "the report indicates that there are no roads available now. This is also something where the state has to respond to the Court that despite the village is being at a remote...they might be at the remotest place but at least they should have that infrastructure of connectivity of roads, so that they can reach these primary health centres, during such incidents". He submitted that this was one such incident but there might be medical emergency such as strokes, heart attacks adding that the residents of the villages are in a very remote area. "Through this Suo-motu, the Hon'ble court has indicated that this, the remotest tribal states should also have, districts rather the villages should have some infrastructure connectivity so as to reach. 108 is available on call. If there is a, call in Ahmedabad 108 through GMERS (Hospital) or the hospitals nearby where they are posted even for this Hon'ble court, there is a point before this Hon'ble court. Nearby points so as to see immediate help can arrive so as to see these lives are not lost. This is what is indicated by the Hon'ble Court subject to what the state has to say," Devnani said. Meanwhile the Advocate General appearing for the State began by submitting that the incident should not have happened. He thereafter referred to an affidavit and said the deceased was residing with her husband in Baskar Faliya, village Turkheda, and their three children.Pointing to the affidavit he said, "The entire area where the village Turkheda is situated is a tribal and forest area, having hilly terrain. The said village Turkheda consists of total 7 faliyas (cluster of houses/hamlets) scattered across different elevations with some located at considerable height whereas some on a sloppy area towards the base of the hills near river bank. Like the above-referred family in order to have advantage of natural irrigation through the water from river, the total spread-out of all this 7 faliyas is around 2491.28 hectares". He submitted that the population of Baskariya faliya is 97 whereas total population of the village is 1996. He said that each faliya has its own cluster of home trails and homes scattered around the area and made from local materials like mud, stone and thatch blending with natural environment.He thereafter referred to three photographs of the area attached with the affidavit demonstrating the home of the deceased having a kachcha (unpaved) approach road leading to the house of another person located at the distance of 9.1 meters where the "unfortunate incident is reported to have taken place". The Advocate General further said, “This particular place would be at a distance of 4 to 5 kms from the sub-centre, where the facilities are available, of Turkheda village which is located in Sauda faliya of Turkheda village". Referring to the photographs he submitted, “Fortunately and luckily, this is an area which is full of connectivity. In fact, according to our information, practically all the houses have the mobile phone, many a times...

Gujarat High Court Seeks Collector's Report On 'Hard Reality' Of Rural Health Facilities After Pregnant Woman Dies On Way To Ambulance

Lovina B Thakkar

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