REWA (Madhya Pradesh): It is a picture that defies the claims of development and healthcare infrastructure in India. In the Raipur Karchulian area of Rewa district, an elderly man named Mulayam Singh was left entirely alone in his darkest hour.
The Long Walk When Singh’s wife fell critically ill on Saturday, he dialed for an ambulance. He waited, hoping for help that never came. Desperate to save her life, the frail medical system forced his hand. He placed his suffering wife on a wooden handcart and began pushing it towards the Community Health Center (CHC).
The journey was agonizingly slow. By the time Singh, exhausted and breathless, reached the hospital, it was too late. The doctors declared his wife dead on arrival.
Indifference in Death The tragedy did not end with her passing. According to reports, after she was declared dead, the hospital administration allegedly failed to provide a hearse or a vehicle to transport her body back home. Singh, broken by grief, had to place his wife’s lifeless body back onto the same handcart and push her home for the last rites.
Official Defense When questioned, the Block Medical Officer (BMO) offered a defense that many find inadequate. “They arrived late, she was already dead,” the official stated, adding, “They didn’t ask us for a vehicle to go back.” This incident is not an isolated case in Madhya Pradesh, raising serious questions about the accessibility of healthcare in rural India. For Mulayam Singh, the system didn’t just fail; it vanished when he needed it most.
