The family members carried her in a stretcher on their shoulders and walked 2 km. (Representational)
Odisha government today ordered an inquiry into the incident of a pregnant woman made to cross Nagavali river on the shoulders of her relatives for delivering her child at a hospital in Rayagada district.
"We have ordered the district health authorities and the district collector to inqure into the incident and submit their reports. Action will be taken as per the findings of the inquiry," Health and Family Welfare Minister P K Jena told reporters.
The woman gave birth to a baby girl at Kalyansinghpur community health centre (CHC) last evening and the condition of the mother and child is stable, he said.
Anku Miniaka(30) of Talasaja village under Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district went into labour yesterday. Her family members alleged that they had phoned for an ambulance but it was not available.
"Left with no option, we carried her in a stretcher on our shoulders and walked 2 km," one of the family members said.
They had to wade through Nagavali river whose water was waist deep, he said.
After crossing the river, the family members found a mobile health vehicle of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram in which she was taken to Kalyansinghpur community health centre (CHC) where she delivered a baby girl in the evening.
There is no pucca road to the village nor a bridge on the river.
The district collector said steps are being taken to construct a bridge over Nagavali river under Biju Setu Yojana for providing connectivity to Talasaja village.