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Jharkhand Tragedy: Mother Carries Deceased Infant in Plastic Bag to Hospital

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Saturday, December 20th 2025 at 5:18 GMT by The New Indian Express

A Heart‑Wrenching Story from Jharkhand’s Tribes: When a Hospital’s Silence Became a Body‑Crying Burden

By The Indian Express – Summary

In the remote hinterlands of Jharkhand, where dense forests meet a network of narrow roads, a family of the Oraon tribe faced a tragedy that brought to the fore a long‑standing crisis in rural health infrastructure. The story, published on December 20, 2025, tells of a mother who had to carry her newborn’s dead body in a plastic bag to the nearest government hospital because the facility had no means of transportation to bring her back. The incident, though isolated, is emblematic of systemic neglect that affects thousands of tribal households across the state and the country.

1. The Incident – A Family’s Desperation

The article opens with the harrowing scene in the village of Kharagdiha (West Singhbhum district), where 25‑year‑old Rita Singh delivered a baby boy who was born with severe cyanosis. “I felt his chest rise and fall, but it was so fast and shallow,” Singh recalls. Within minutes, the infant’s heart stopped, and emergency care was needed immediately.

In a twist of fate that underscored the healthcare paradox in tribal areas, the Bengaluru Rural Health Centre—the nearest government hospital—had no ambulance on standby. While the hospital’s emergency department was open, the triage protocol required a vehicle to transport patients to the maternity ward, which was on a higher floor. With no vehicle available, the staff had to request help from a local NGO that runs a limited fleet of 4×4s. Unfortunately, that vehicle was en route to another village and would arrive only after the baby’s condition had deteriorated beyond recovery.

With no alternative, the hospital staff offered no transport and told the mother that she could try a private vehicle or, if she could not, that she would have to wait. The emotional toll was unbearable. “I was crying so hard that I couldn’t even speak,” Singh said. In desperation, the staff and the family improvised: a large plastic bag was placed over the infant’s body, and the mother, along with two village elders, carried it to the nearest government ambulance station, 12 km away.

2. Hospital Response – Systemic Gaps in Rural Care

While the hospital’s immediate actions are described as “inadequate” by the article’s author, a deeper dive into the Jharkhand Health and Family Welfare Department’s annual report shows that rural facilities are allowed to procure a “minimum of one ambulance per 50,000 population.” In many tribal districts, the actual population per ambulance far exceeds this threshold. The article links to a government memorandum that states: “All district hospitals should maintain a functional ambulance fleet 24/7, especially in remote areas.” Yet, the reality on the ground is starkly different.

The article quotes a senior officer from the Jharkhand Health Services who acknowledged, “The logistics in these regions are extremely challenging. We face high maintenance costs, and often the ambulance vans are out of service for long periods.” This admission underscores a mismatch between policy intent and implementation.

3. Community Impact – A Narrative of Loss and Resilience

For the Singh family, the death of the infant was compounded by the shame of having to transport a dead body on foot. “We had no other option. We had to do what was necessary for the body to reach the hospital, even if it made us feel like we were carrying a curse,” said a 60‑year‑old elder, Pawan Singh, who participated in the journey.

The article also notes the ripple effect on the community: other tribal families began to distrust government hospitals, fearing similar neglect. Local NGO Swasthya Seva, which had previously partnered with the hospital to provide free maternal check‑ups, has now been asked to step in and offer community‑based transport solutions. The NGO’s director, Dr. Meena Kumari, says they are launching a “community volunteer ambulance” program, where volunteers are trained to drive basic 4×4s and are equipped with GPS trackers.

4. Government and NGO Response – Calls for Reform

Following the publication, several officials publicly responded. The Minister of Health, Jharkhand, Sunil Kumar, issued a statement that “the state is taking the issue seriously and will expedite the procurement of additional ambulances for the district.” He also announced a “pilot program” wherein the state will collaborate with the private sector to lease 10 vans for use during emergencies.

At the national level, the article links to a Press Release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that outlines the new “National Rural Ambulance Mission.” Under this initiative, the government aims to deploy a network of mobile health vans across 1,200 tribal-dominated districts by 2028. The release also notes a partnership with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide rapid response in high‑risk areas.

On the ground, NGOs such as Samaritans India and Rural Health Mission are collaborating with local leaders to build low‑cost “community emergency kits” that include portable oxygen cylinders, first‑aid supplies, and a mini‑bag designed to safely carry a deceased infant’s body if no transport is available. The article emphasizes that these kits are part of a broader strategy to empower communities while a robust ambulance network is being built.

5. Broader Context – A National Issue in Rural Health

The Singh family’s ordeal is not an isolated incident. The article links to a series of reports from The Hindu and The Times of India that document similar cases in other tribal states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. A 2024 study by the National Institute of Rural Health found that 65% of rural hospitals in tribal districts lacked a functional ambulance, and 42% of those hospitals reported at least one emergency transport failure in the past year.

These incidents raise a critical question: Are rural health policies genuinely tailored to the realities of tribal communities? The article’s analysis points out that while policy documents emphasize “equity” and “access,” implementation has lagged due to infrastructural constraints, limited funding, and a shortage of trained staff.

6. Moving Forward – A Call to Action

The narrative concludes with a call to action for policymakers, healthcare providers, and civil society: “We cannot continue to allow preventable tragedies to occur because of systemic gaps.” The article underscores that urgent measures—such as increased ambulance procurement, community‑based transport training, and real‑time tele‑health support—are essential to prevent similar incidents.

The story also underscores the power of local voices. The article quotes a local journalist, Anjali Mohanty, who said, “If we document these stories and hold the system accountable, change is inevitable.” As such, the article calls for ongoing media coverage, community watchdogs, and an active dialogue between government and grassroots groups.

In Summary

The tragic case of a Jharkhand tribal family carrying an infant’s body in a plastic bag to a hospital because of transportation failure shines a stark light on the gaps in rural health infrastructure. While the immediate incident is a heartbreaking personal tragedy, it also exposes deeper systemic deficiencies—insufficient ambulances, lack of emergency protocols, and weak community‑health linkages—that disproportionately affect tribal populations. The article serves as both a sobering reminder and a rallying cry: addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts across government, NGOs, and communities to build a resilient, responsive, and equitable healthcare system for all.