Rayagada, Oct 30: Another disturbing picture of the poor healthcare infrastructure in Rayagada district has come to light. With no proper road connecting the village and no bridge over the river, accessing emergency medical services remains a major challenge for residents. In a shocking incident, villagers were forced to carry a patient on a cot across the Nagavali River to arrange medical assistance.

The incident was reported from Pujaribombu village under Rayagada Sadar block, where a man identified as Abhi Bidika suddenly suffered a paralytic attack. As the village lacks proper road connectivity, an ambulance could not reach the spot, leaving the family and villagers with no option but to carry him on a cot.

Risking their lives, family members and villagers crossed the swollen Nagavali River while carrying the patient. Braving the strong water currents, they managed to reach Beheraguda village, where an ambulance was finally available to transport him for medical treatment.

The incident highlights the grim reality of healthcare and road connectivity in remote rural areas. Even today, residents of several villages are forced to depend on such risky arrangements during medical emergencies due to the absence of basic infrastructure.

The incident has once again raised questions about the administration's efforts to provide essential services to people living in remote areas. Residents are now waiting to see when the authorities will construct an all-weather road to the village and a bridge over the Nagavali River to prevent such life-threatening situations in the future.