Pregnant tribal woman walks 15 km for delivery, dragged to PHC for ‘check-up’ by dept officials

VELLORE: A pregnant tribal woman who walked 15 kilometres to reach a private hospital at Bagayam and delivered a female baby was brought to the Kaniyambadi PHC by government officials for a fresh check-up.

The officials picked her up after she reached her hill village and dropped her back by ambulance on Sunday. It all started when a pregnant Sivakami (22) wife of Suresh (25) a daily wage earner of Muthankudisai of hill village in Anaicut union was forced to walk 8 kilometres to Thellai and another 7 kilometres from there to Tuthikadu to reach Christian Medical College’s (CMC) CHAD hospital at Bagayam.

She was discharged on Saturday evening and went back with her mother and newborn to Tuthikadu by auto and from there to Thellai by a two wheeler. However, when the news about this became public Vellore revenue and medical officials went to Thellai on Saturday night, conducted a medical check-up of Sivakami and then brought her back to the Kaniyambadi PHC for an institutional check up. After she was found okay, she was again taken back by jeep along with her mother and infant on Sunday evening.

Asked about this, the Anaicut tahsildar said “the woman walked only two kilometres and not 15 kilometres as was publicised.” However, the public were puzzled as to why officials brought back Sivakami for a checkup when CHAD hospital discharges only those who reach normalcy after delivery. And that too when she was already checked by doctors at Thellai prior to her Kaniyambadi trip.