The chief health officer of Narmada district has initiated an inquiry after a woman was forced to deliver twins in a tempo on October 1, after being denied admission by both public and private hospitals.

This is the second case in recent days, in the tribal region, where women have been forced to deliver by the roadside, after being

denied institutional delivery facilities.

In a similar incident in Dahod district on October 8, Eta Parmar, a tribal woman from Madhya Pradesh, was forced to deliver twin baby boys by the roadside, after being denied treatment by private hospitals.

Parmar’s family members alleged they were shown the door by a private nursing home following their inability to bear the expenses for a caesarean surgery.

On October 1, Ukeli Bhil (25) from Soikuva village of Tilakwada taluka in Narmada district delivered twin baby girls in a six-seater tempo, after she could not get treatment at four public and private hospitals.

Dr R B Patel, Reproductive and Child Health Officer (RCHO), who has now initiated an inquiry into the case, said: “Bhil was first referred to the Gharboriyad Primary Health Centre (PHC), but due to the absence of a gynaecologist, she was taken to the Jhabugam Community Health Centre (CHC). As the foetus was transverse, which is called ‘bridge presentation’ in medical terms, she was referred to the Dhokaliya Private Hospital based in Bodeli.”

He added: “As the private gynaecologist refused to take her complicated case on October 1, Bhil was referred to the SSG Hospital in Vadodara district, but delivered her twins in Chakda, while on her way to the SSG Hospital.”

On being asked why were gynaecologists not present at the Jhabugam Community Health Centre (CHC), Dr Patel said, the doctor was on leave.

He further said they are also yet to start an inquiry why private doctors empanelled under the Chiranjeevi Yojana and institutional deliveries based on the Public Private partnership (PPP) did not provide any help.

Under the scheme, private gynaecologists at small hospitals in the rural areas are to provide skilled delivery services, including emergency, free of cost to poor women.