North Lakhimpur: A woman gave birth to a child while being taken to a hospital in a commercial pickup van early Wednesday morning in the riverine Lohit Khabolu area along Assam’s Lakhimpur-Majuli boundary.
The woman, a resident of Jugibari village under Lohit Khabolu Gaon Panchayat, was being taken to Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goswami District Hospital at Garmur in Majuli after she went into labour.
The hospital is around 20 kilometres from Jugibari village. However, poor road connectivity in the riverine area has made it difficult for ambulances and other emergency medical services to reach the village.
The woman, identified as the wife of Manoj Pegu of Jugibari village, was therefore taken to the hospital in a commercial pickup van at around 4.30 am on Wednesday. The vehicle had to travel through a rough stretch of road and cross weak bridges on the way to the hospital.
Before reaching the hospital, the woman delivered the baby inside the pickup van on an embankment at Uttar Dambukial village.
The mother and newborn were later taken to the hospital, where both are admitted and reported to be in healthy condition.
The incident has again drawn attention to poor connectivity and limited access to emergency healthcare in the riverine areas of Lakhimpur and Majuli districts.
Residents of these remote areas continue to face difficulties in getting timely medical assistance. Poor road connectivity is a particular challenge for pregnant women who need to reach hospitals for delivery.