- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sat, 03 Jan 2026 10:05 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
In an incident that raises questions on the state of medical facilities, a pregnant woman died in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district after she walked for 6 kilometres on a jungle path to reach her sister's home, hoping for timely help for childbirth.
She set out on her journey on January 1 and died the next day after experiencing severe labour pain. Her child died in the womb, and later she also passed away due to rising blood pressure.
She had to walk for such a long distance as her village is cut off from the main road with no medical facilities for delivery, an official said.
The victim has been identified as Asha Santosh Kiranga, a 24-year-old resident of Aaldandi Tola in Etapalli taluka in Gadchiroli district. She was nine months pregnant.
The official said, "Her native Aaldandi Tola village is cut off from the main road, with no delivery facilities available there. The patient, hoping for timely help, set out on January 1 with her husband, trudging 6 kilometres through jungle paths to her sister's home in Petha. However, the ordeal in her heavy, advanced stage of pregnancy took a toll on her body".
"On the morning of January 2, she began experiencing severe labour pains. She was rushed by ambulance to Kali Ammal Hospital in Hedri. Though the doctors decided on a caesarean operation, it was too late by then. The baby had already died in the womb. Due to rising blood pressure, the woman too passed away soon after," the official said.
When contacted by news agency PTI, Gadchiroli District Health Officer Dr Pratap Shinde said that the woman had been registered through the ASHA workers.
He said, "The sudden labour pains and complications likely arose due to walking. Doctors tried to save her, but were unsuccessful. A detailed report has been called for from the taluka health officer, and the matter will be investigated."
(With PTI Inputs)