Villagers carry patient on cot in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, health dept says timely aid provided

A viral video showed villagers carrying an ailing man on a cot in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, sparking concern over healthcare access. Health officials said an ambulance was dispatched promptly, the patient received timely treatment, and is now stable at a Hemalkasa hospital

Gadchiroli: A video has surfaced showing villagers carrying an ailing man on a cot to reach a hospital in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, prompting health officials to clarify that the patient was provided timely ambulance support and medical assistance.

The video showed villagers carrying the man on a cot at night, holding torches as they walked along a road before placing him on a boat to cross a local river.

---

Some reports claimed locals trekked three kilometres and then crossed the river on a tin boat on Sunday night to get medical help for Santosh Jeti (30), a resident of Bangadi village in Bhamragadh taluka.

However, Gadchiroli District Health Officer Dr Pratap Shinde, in a statement issued on Monday, said the health department responded immediately on receiving information, made an ambulance available quickly, and ensured the patient received timely treatment.

He said that on July 11, Jeti developed sudden urinary problems accompanied by severe abdominal pain. The villagers informed it to the gram arogya sevika (local health worker), who immediately contacted the 102 support service and an ambulance departed from Laheri without delay to bring the patient to the hospital.

Looking at the patient’s condition, his relatives placed him on a stretcher and began moving him towards the main road, the official said.

The ambulance staff safely lifted the patient into the ambulance from the Gundenaur Nala area and transported him immediately to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Laheri, he said.

The patient was provided urgent first aid at the PHC and referred him to a hospital at Hemalkasa, where he is undergoing treatment and is in a stable condition, the official said.