Birth pangs in the land of dead

Parul Nautiyal & her relatives ran from pillar to post to get maternity help

Even as the Kedar valley was witnessing the dance of death and destruction, a new life was struggling to enter this world. Parul Nautiyal was expecting her child somewhere around June 13. However, as the rains came, Nautiyal and her family ran to save their lives, and the labour got delayed.

When the Nautiyals reached the government hospital in Guptkashi last week, the expected date of delivery had been overshot by two weeks.

The hospital with a single male doctor, a general physician, could not be of much help. "We are already two weeks past the expected date of delivery. I can't do much here," he was heard telling some higher official on phone.

“We came here after much difficulty. But this hospital does not have a gynaecologist,” said Girish Chand Joshi of Gaurikhund. The male doctor did not have any experience in handling such complications and referred to the district hospital at Rudraprayag, which was some 40 km away.

Joshi, a cousin of Nautiyal’s husband Satish Chandra Nautiyal, tried to help the couple by calling the 108 emergency ambulance stationed at Guptkashi.

“We called the 108 ambulance. But the ambulance guy was of no help. He does not want to take the vehicle out of Guptkashi citing problems with roads. Apne baap gaadi jaise kar raha woh,” said an irritated and helpless Joshi.

The ambulance driver might have a point as the main highway to Rudraprayag is cut off at several places. The only route that is open is a dirt-track via Mayali, used by relief vehicles. It would take the ambulance anywhere between 8 and 10 hours to reach Rudraprayag. That too, if there were no slides or rain on the way.

Joshi, who himself was injured while fleeing from the floods in Gaurikhund, said: “This is the state of affairs in the mountains. There is no proper medical facility even in good times. Now, things have only got only worse.”

Nautiyal’s father-in-law desperately made calls to people who can save the two lives even as time was running out. Eventually, after several calls, he managed to convince the administration to airlift the patient to Dehradun.

By the time the to-be mother and her relatives scampered from the hospital to a rest house, the additional district magistrate had brought a couple of vehicles to go to the helipad. However, as police, filled the vehicles, there was no room for all of Parul’s relatives. “There is place for only her. All of you come by road,” said Harak Singh Rawat, the ADM.

Parul did not want to go to Dehradun without any support. The in-laws requested that they be allowed. Eventually, Parul and her mother-in-law were taken to the helipad.

An official at the rest house later said, “They figured out at the helipad that there was a lady gynaecologist at Ukhimath, (a town on the mountain across the river). So, they did not go to Dehradun. They were all dropped in Ukhimath by a helicopter. Hope the doctor will take care of them.”