Chandrapur: Indirabai Rama Jumanake, during her fifth pregnancy, was brought safely to the Ayushman Bharat Centre at Patan after a team from the Patan Primary Health Centre trekked to her home on August 10. Her pregnancy has been classified as high-risk, prompting authorities to shift her to a safer location well before labour.The intervention assumes significance following the death of Sangeeta Tulshiram Gedam, another pregnant woman from Ghodankappi, on June 14 after she suffered excessive bleeding while being brought down the hill for treatment.Ghodankappi, about 20km from the Patan PHC and 10km from the Nandappa sub-centre, is predominantly inhabited by the Kolam community. An 800-metre stretch of steep, rocky terrain remains inaccessible to vehicles and becomes treacherous during the monsoon.Language posed another challenge, as Indirabai had difficulty understanding Marathi. The Mata Sakhi initiative, conceived by District Collector Vasumana Pant, helped bridge the gap by communicating with her and her family in their familiar language and explaining the need for institutional delivery.On Independence Day, guardian minister Dr Ashok Uike visited Indirabai and spoke to her through an interpreter. He assured the family that her children would be provided accommodation and food at Patan Ashram School and that assistance would be extended towards the wages her husband may lose during her hospital stay.Collector Vasumana Pant, CEO Pulkit Singh, SP Ayush Nopany and other senior officials and health personnel were present.
