A pregnant tribal woman was forced to give birth on the porch of Peeth Government Primary Health Centre after hospital staff allegedly refused to help her. The incident has sparked anger in the community, with villagers protesting against the hospital’s negligence.
Sura, a resident of Navaghara Bhachdiya village, was rushed to the health center by her family on December 1 when she went into labor. However, her family claims that the hospital’s staff refused to assist her and told them to take her to a different hospital, the Simalwara Community Health Center, which is several kilometers away.
“We begged them for help, but they wouldn’t even check her condition,” said Mahesh Damor, Sura’s husband. “She collapsed on the hospital porch, and we had to deliver the baby ourselves.”
According to eyewitnesses, hospital staff did not step in even after the baby was born. It was Sura’s family who cut the umbilical cord and cared for the newborn. Both mother and child were left unattended for nearly 30 minutes before being taken to the Simalwara CHC for further care.
Outraged by the incident, villagers gathered outside the hospital to demand strict action against the staff. “How can healthcare workers stand by and do nothing when a woman is delivering a baby right outside their door?” asked Popat Khokhariya, a local activist and leader of the Bharat Adivasi Party.
Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr. Alankar Gupta visited the hospital to address the protest. “We will not tolerate such negligence,” Dr. Gupta assured the crowd. He also issued an Awaiting Posting Order (APO) for the in-charge doctor, Dr. Jai Singh Choudhary, and set up a committee to investigate the incident.
Dr. Rohit Labana, another doctor from the hospital, denied the allegations. “The hospital operates from 9 a.m., and the family arrived before working hours,” he told Mooknayak. He also mentioned that the hospital staff currently work out of temporary quarters due to the poor condition of the main building, which may have caused delays.
However, locals rejected these claims. “Whether it’s 9 a.m. or midnight, a hospital is supposed to save lives,” said journalist Gunwant Kalal, who reported the incident. “Leaving a woman to deliver her baby on the ground is inhumane.”
The Bharat Adivasi Party has warned of more protests if no strict action is taken. “We want proper healthcare services in tribal areas. This negligence must end,” Khokhariya said.
