Lack of ICU forces new mother to make fatal 100km journey in Maharashtra

A 22-year-old woman died in Palghar district last week after experiencing childbirth complications. Asha Namdev Bhusara, from a Mokhada hamlet, gave birth at the local government hospital on December 26. She developed postpartum haemorrhage, a condition involving excessive bleeding after delivery, as reported by TOI.

Because the Mokhada hospital lacked the necessary resources, Bhusara was transferred to Jawhar Kutir Hospital, roughly 20 kilometers away. She received a blood transfusion there but remained unconscious. Doctors then directed the family to take her to Nashik Civil Hospital, about 75-80 kilometers away, which had an ICU and specialists.

“The patient was bleeding profusely and we began treating her, but we don’t have an ICU or an intensivist needed to treat such a critical case,” said Dr. Bharat Mahale, who treated Bhusara at Jawhar hospital. The difficult journey through the ghats slowed the ambulance, and Bhusara died en route to Nashik.


Palghar MP Hemant Savra offered condolences and noted that a 200-bed hospital has been approved for Jawhar. He added that the trauma center and Palghar Civil Hospital buildings are nearing completion. He also mentioned plans to increase the number of ambulances. Two weeks prior, another Palghar woman gave birth in an ambulance due to a lack of resources at the local hospital. In both cases, the newborns survived.

(With inputs from TOI)