A recent video has emerged from Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, showing a pregnant woman being carried in a bullock cart to a hospital. The incident, which highlights potential deficiencies in emergency medical services, was shared by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on social media. He used the incident to criticize the ruling BJP government in the state, remarking, “Under the BJP’s misrule, ambulances in Uttar Pradesh have turned into ‘bull-ances’. Will a trillion-dollar economy run on bullock carts?”
Yadav further urged the state’s chief minister to personally assess the condition of local roads and ambulance services, suggesting the use of binoculars or drones if direct observation is difficult. He also called on the UP Health Minister to be more present and responsive to the needs of sick individuals.
The woman, a resident of Parsadwa Dera Gau Ghat Chhani village, was taken to the Sisolor Community Health Centre, located seven kilometers away. Her father-in-law reported that the ambulance they had called became stuck on the muddy, unpaved road leading to their village. The arduous journey by bullock cart took approximately three hours. Upon arrival at the health centre, doctors provided primary treatment and determined that she was still two days away from delivery.
Locals have expressed that such transportation challenges are common during the rainy season, as the muddy roads effectively isolate them from essential services. A social worker mentioned that villagers are often forced to carry patients on their shoulders or use bullock carts in emergencies, noting that previous attempts to secure better road infrastructure through protests have been made.
The Chief Development Officer of Parsadwa acknowledged the situation, explaining that the track was being prepared for a cement road but had been damaged by rain. He assured that construction would resume once the route dries.