PREGNANT WOMAN OF DUMAK VILLAGE IN JOSHIMATH DELIVERS BABY AFTER TAKEN ON BROKEN STRETCHER BY VILLAGERS COVERING 18 KLMS

There is nothing new about the extremely worrisome deteriorating health services in Uttarakhand and news about pregnant women delivering infants on the way and in some cases even women dying are common features, especially in interior Uttarakhand villages. In social media and newspapers such pregnant women being carried in a palanquin or cot by number if people us a common sight but what is distressing n troublesome to note is that the state government despite tall claims has been literally doing nothing to set right the situation.

There are dearth of health centres, dispensaries and hospitals in block n districts and if they are, they lack basic medical equipments, doctors, paramedics, n medicines. The inhabitants, especially the old ones, children and women are the worst suffering lot due to inadequate health facilities. According to a latest news a pregnant women of Dumak village of Joshimath Block who was crying of acute pain could be brought to the road head by villagers in a broken stretcher covering 18 kilometres and then fourteen kilometres distance on foot finally delivering a baby. The name of the woman is Deeksha Devi of Dumak village under Joshimath block in Chamoli, Garhwal district.

Uttarakhand today needs latest medical equipments, well studded health centres and hospitals fully equipped with surgeons and doctors but unfortunately majority of the doctors are into private practice minting profits and not going to hospitals in rural areas despite the very fact that their salary package is extremely good. The paramedics are untrained n not available in hospitals. Similarly even junior doctors are conspicuous by their absence. The government of the day on the other hand claims to have allocated maximum budget to the health sector. Only God knows.