A tragic incident in Tripura’s Unakoti district has once again raised serious questions over the state of healthcare services in the district, after a 24-year-old pregnant woman and her unborn child died allegedly due to a lack of timely and adequate medical treatment.
According to the family, the deceased, Nur Jahanara Begum, had been undergoing treatment at a sub-divisional hospital for several days. Family members alleged that her condition became critical during the final stage of pregnancy as she failed to receive proper medical attention at the hospital.
The family further alleged that she was subsequently referred to the district hospital. However, the absence of a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist allegedly delayed or hampered the required treatment, ultimately resulting in the deaths of both the mother and her unborn child.
The deceased’s family head, Liyak Ali, alleged medical negligence and claimed that the woman did not receive adequate treatment at the crucial moment.
The incident has brought two major concerns into focus—allegations of medical negligence at the sub-divisional hospital and the reported shortage of specialist doctors at the district hospital.
The death of a young mother and her unborn child has sparked public concern over the availability of emergency maternal healthcare in Unakoti. Questions are now being raised over where critically ill pregnant women should turn for treatment if a district hospital does not have the necessary specialist doctors.
Despite repeated claims of improvement in healthcare services, the incident has once again highlighted what the public describes as the fragile condition of the district’s healthcare infrastructure.
Who will be held accountable for the situation in Unakoti’s healthcare system, and how many more lives must be lost before accountability is ensured? These are the questions now being raised by local residents.