A distressing video from West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, has gone viral on social media, shedding light on the challenges faced by underserved communities in accessing healthcare. The footage shows family members of a critically ill person risking their lives to carry the patient on a stretcher beneath a stationary cargo train.
The patient, a resident of Mundasai village in Khuntpani Block, West Singhbhum, required urgent medical attention at the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Champua. However, when his condition worsened, his family called an ambulance via the 108 emergency service. Unfortunately, the ambulance couldn’t reach their home due to the absence of motorable roads, forcing the family to stop 1 kilometer away from the house.
To bridge this gap, the relatives carried the patient on a stretcher to the ambulance. On their way, they encountered a railway track obstructed by a stationary cargo train.
Watch:
मालगाड़ी के नीचे से मरीज को पार कराया रेलवे ट्रैक
झारखंड से एक चौंकाने वाली घटना सामने आई है. लंबे समय तक रेलवे ट्रैक पर खड़ी एक मालगाड़ी ने लोगों की मुश्किलें बढ़ा दीं. कई लोग अपनी जान जोखिम में डालकर मालगाड़ी के नीचे से गुजरते दिखे. हालात तब और गंभीर हो गए जब स्ट्रेचर पर लेटे… pic.twitter.com/WEq90XnVT6
— Rajak Shaikh (@rajak_sahil1) November 29, 2024
A Risky Decision to Save a Life
As the patient’s condition deteriorated further, the family initially waited for the train to move but eventually decided they could not afford the delay. Taking a risky step, some family members carefully carried the stretcher under the cargo train while others followed. They managed to navigate the track and reach the ambulance, which transported the patient to the Sub-Divisional Hospital. The patient is now undergoing treatment, though no updates on their health status have been reported.
This incident underscores the challenges posed by inadequate infrastructure in rural areas. Villages like Jaintgarh in Jagannathpur Block of the same district remain without basic road access. Such infrastructural gaps force residents into dangerous situations while seeking medical aid.
The situation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of government spending on infrastructure and healthcare schemes. Despite significant financial allocations, incidents like these highlight the disconnect between policy initiatives and on-ground realities.