Sanju Malto reports from Sahibganj, Jharkhand. Before becoming a part of Video Volunteers, she was associated with Jan Srijan as a social activist working with children with disabilities. Her frustration with the corruption in her village had reached its limit and when the opportunity to become a Correspondent Changemaker came knocking at her door, Sanju grabbed it with both hands.…

Sanju Malto

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Due to bad road connectivity, ten pregnant women lost their child, on their way to the hospital in Chatatia village, Jharkhand. 

 In the absence of proper road connectivity, a pregnant woman traveled almost the whole night on a rented vehicle in Chatatia village, Jharkhand, to get to the nearest hospital. After reaching the hospital in the morning she learned that her child is no more alive. 

“Was carrying the baby for 9 months with such trouble, and now after 9 months the baby died inside, only because of the roads”, said Mariam Malto, Chatatia, Sahebganj. 

Poor women in remote areas are the least likely to receive adequate health care, and lack of road network and the absence of regular means of transportation make it even more difficult for people to access health care. Bad roads are clearly affecting the lives of people in rural areas. 

The program - the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, (PMGSY), was launched at the end of the year 2000 and is still on-going. PMGSY created a federal mandate for all states to provide all-weather connectivity between all villages with a population of at least 500 and their nearest market center via paved roads. 

In Jharkhand, a total of 20,432.39 km road has been completed, connecting 9472 villages with pakka road. But Chatatia village is still not one of them. Maintenance of road is often neglected both because of lack of funds and corruption delays it further. Mariam is not alone in this village who blames her child’s death on the bad roads. Ten women along with Mariam lost their babies due to delay in access to hospitals. 

Is poor road connectivity restricting the household’s access to healthcare facilities and better health? Yes. What’s worse is that, its taking lives. With better roads, it will be less likely to have complications during childbirth, and more likely to receive timely care during pregnancy. 

Video by Community Correspondent Sanju Malto

Article by Grace Jolliffe, a Member of VV Editorial Team.