Palghar: A 25-year-old pregnant woman gave birth to a baby girl in an 108 ambulance in the early hours of September 1, Monday, while being transferred from Saphale Primary Health Centre to Palghar Rural Hospital due to the possibility of complications during delivery.
The woman, Vidhi Sambre, a resident of the Safale area, was pregnant with her second child and was admitted to Saphale Primary Health Centre late on the night of September 1. Based on the assessment of possible delivery complications, the attending medical officer decided to refer her to the Palghar Rural Hospital for further care. At approximately 2:50 a.m., an 108 ambulance was called to facilitate the transfer, as reported by Loksatta.
However, while en route to Palghar, Vidhi began experiencing labour contractions. Dr. Ruksana Shaukh, the medical officer present in the ambulance, successfully conducted the delivery inside the moving vehicle. The woman delivered a healthy baby girl weighing 2.800 kilograms. Both the mother and newborn were subsequently admitted to the Palghar Rural Hospital.
This incident adds to a growing number of similar cases in the district where pregnant women have had to give birth in ambulances during transfers. Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, during a recent visit to Palghar, had issued clear instructions to the district administration to take strict action against medical officers who refer pregnant women for further treatment at late stages, especially when labour is imminent, as reported.
Despite these instructions, such incidents continue to occur, raising concerns that the Palghar district administration is not adequately implementing the Health Minister’s directives, according to the report. The case highlights ongoing challenges in maternal healthcare coordination and emergency preparedness in rural areas.
