A heart-wrenching incident has come to light from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh. In a government hospital in the district, a pregnant woman found neither a doctor, nor a nurse, nor even the facility of a bed. Out of compulsion, she had to give birth to her child on the floor. This incident not only exposes the deplorable state of healthcare services but also raises questions about those government schemes that claim to provide better healthcare facilities to pregnant women.
The incident took place in a government hospital in the Bairia Assembly constituency of Ballia. According to Dainik Bhaskar, neither a doctor nor a nurse was present in the hospital. The situation was such that there was no staff to assist the woman. There wasn’t even a bed available for delivery, forcing her to give birth on the floor. A video of this incident is rapidly going viral on social media, compelling local residents and leaders to question accountability.
Questions Raised on the State Government’s Healthcare System
This incident occurred at a time when the Uttar Pradesh government is making grand claims about improving healthcare services. The government has launched schemes like the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), which has been in place since 2011.
The purpose of this scheme is to provide free and safe delivery services to pregnant women to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. According to the official website of Ballia district (ballia.nic.in), a free ambulance service is also available for pregnant women at the number 102. However, this incident has made it clear that the ground reality is far removed from these claims.
Ballia has two ministers in the Uttar Pradesh government
This incident has also raised questions about the accountability of local leaders and public representatives. Ballia has two ministers in the Uttar Pradesh government, yet the district’s healthcare services are in such a dismal state. Anger has erupted against Bairia Assembly constituency’s MLA Jai Prakash Anchal (Samajwadi Party) and Ballia Lok Sabha MP Sanatan Pandey. On social media, people have questioned what these leaders have done for their constituency if even basic facilities like healthcare are unavailable. Some users have tagged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak, demanding immediate action in this matter.
Local Residents Express Outrage
Following the incident, there has been significant outrage among local residents. One user wrote, “The BJP’s Amrit Kaal is underway, but the reality is that a poor person cannot even access treatment.” Another user tagged the Ballia DM and Ballia Police, asking who is responsible for this deplorable situation. People are saying that if an ambulance or a doctor had been available on time, perhaps this situation could have been avoided.
The Reality of Government Schemes
The Uttar Pradesh government has taken several steps to improve healthcare services. Under the JSSK scheme, pregnant women are supposed to receive free delivery, medicines, and transportation facilities. Additionally, services like the National Health Helpline number 1800-180-1104 and a helpline for government hospital patients at 1800-180-5145 have been introduced. However, this incident in Ballia has proven that these schemes remain largely confined to paper.