A 32-year-old woman tragically lost her newborn after giving birth at a primary health care centre in Kharai village, Shivpuri district, with only a sanitation worker to assist her.
According to Sanjay Rishiwar, a district health officer, the on-duty doctor was absent as he was attending an exam. As a result, there was no medical staff present at the centre. The sanitation worker who assisted with the delivery has since been terminated from her position.
The woman, Rani Ojha, began experiencing labor pains around 9 a.m. on Sunday. Despite her husband’s repeated attempts to call for an ambulance, none arrived in time. The couple was eventually forced to use a private vehicle to reach the primary healthcare centre, only to find it unstaffed.
“We did not get an ambulance despite calling multiple times. We had to rely on a private vehicle to get here. When we arrived, there was no doctor or medical staff. The delivery happened, but the baby didn’t survive,” said the husband, Ram Sevak Ojha.
They reached the healthcare centre at approximately 12:30 p.m. With no healthcare professionals available, a female sanitation worker took Rani to the labor room. Rani delivered a baby girl, but the newborn died minutes later due to the lack of timely medical care.
The sanitation worker, who has since been dismissed, told local media that doctors and nurses typically do not report for duty on Sundays.
This incident adds to the growing concerns about inadequate healthcare facilities in Madhya Pradesh. In June, viral videos showed rats roaming freely in a government hospital in Gwalior, prompting authorities to take pest control measures.
