Maharashtra: Kin claim woman lost unborn child as ambulance had no fuel

Relatives of a pregnant woman in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Thursday alleged that a delay in securing a government ambulance due to an alleged diesel shortage led to the death of her unborn child.

The claim sparked outrage, prompting state public health minister Prakash Abitkar to assure an investigation into the incident.

According to the woman’s family, she began experiencing labour pain at Jawala Bazar, following which they sought a government ambulance. However, they claimed they had to wait nearly two hours and were allegedly informed that the vehicle could not be sent because there was no diesel.

Unable to get emergency transport, the family arranged a private vehicle and took the woman to the Government Medical College in Hingoli. There, doctors conducted a caesarean section but could not save the baby, relatives said.

Speaking in Nanded, Abitkar said it would be premature to conclude that treatment had been denied because of diesel unavailability, but maintained that the matter would be examined.

“If such an incident has occurred, we will conduct an inquiry. There is a budgetary provision for diesel for ambulances, and manpower has also been deployed. If the infrastructure created by us has not been properly utilised for society, an inquiry will be ordered, and action will be taken against those found responsible,” he told reporters.

Rohini Khadse, state president of the women’s wing of the NCP (SP), questioned the government’s assertion that Maharashtra was not facing a fuel shortage and asked who should be held accountable — the health administration, ambulance personnel or the government.

The woman’s relatives said her condition was worsening steadily when they repeatedly contacted the 108 and 102 emergency ambulance services. They alleged that staff members asked them not to call again because the ambulance had “no diesel”.

The family further claimed that a 102 ambulance was stationed outside their local primary health centre, but despite repeated pleas, it was not made available.

“We are poor people. How could we arrange a private vehicle immediately during such an emergency? They clearly refused to provide the ambulance, saying there was no diesel. If something had happened to my daughter, too, who would have been responsible?” the woman’s mother said.

After waiting for hours, relatives pooled money to hire a private vehicle to transport the woman to the Government Medical College in Hingoli.

A family member alleged that by the time she reached the hospital, the delay had already proved fatal for the unborn child.

Following reports of the incident, social media users criticised the state’s public healthcare system and raised concerns over the functioning of emergency medical services in rural Maharashtra.

With PTI inputs