A flickering torchlight. An open road in the dead of night. A tarpaulin pulled up as a makeshift curtain, and beneath it, a woman giving birth. In a stark indictment of Madhya Pradesh's much-touted healthcare system, a pregnant woman was forced to deliver her baby on a roadside under the light of a torch in Vidisha district.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours, did not take place in a remote or insurgency-affected area but in Pathari tehsil of Vidisha, a high-profile district where claims of modern medical facilities are routinely made.
Despite repeated assurances of improved maternal healthcare, the reality on the ground showed a woman delivering her child on an open road, covered only by a tarpaulin, in biting cold and complete darkness.
According to the family, around 3 am the pregnant woman developed severe labour pain, following which repeated calls were made to the 108-ambulance service. The family waited for nearly three hours, but no ambulance arrived.
With no medical help in sight and the woman's condition worsening, the family decided to take her to the hospital on foot.
However, midway, the labour pain intensified to such an extent that the delivery had to be conducted on the roadside itself, with villagers using a torch for light and a tarpaulin for minimal privacy and protection from the cold.
The woman and the newborn reportedly remained on the road for nearly two to three hours in the freezing night before any assistance reached them.
Speaking about the ordeal, the woman said she had been in severe pain since the night and had called for an ambulance, but no one arrived, adding that the cold was intense and the family was terrified when the baby was born on the way.
Health department officials later acknowledged that the ambulance call had been made.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Ramhit Kumar said the woman, identified as Sanjana, wife of Sanjay Sahariya, was living in a rented house in Pathari Uthayi and experienced labour pain around 2 to 2:30 am. He stated that she had contacted the 118 and 108 services, and while the call centre assured follow-up, her mobile phone reportedly ran out of battery, preventing further communication.
The official added that the couple started walking towards the hospital, where she delivered the baby about 500 to 600 metres away from the facility, and that hospital staff reached the spot after being informed and admitted her.
According to the health department, both the mother and the child are currently stable, though the incident has once again raised uncomfortable questions about emergency healthcare response and maternal safety in the state.
