Gadchiroli woman’s death exposes persistent last-mile gaps in maternal healthcare

The death of a nine-month pregnant woman after she walked six kilometres through forest paths to seek medical help has once again exposed the persistent last-mile failures in maternal healthcare and rural infrastructure in remote parts of the country.

Asha Santosh Kiranga (24) , a resident of Aaldandi Tola village in Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli district , died along with her unborn child after failing to access timely obstetric care. The village is cut off from the main road and has no delivery facilities , forcing expectant mothers to undertake arduous journeys even in advanced stages of pregnancy.

Officials said Kiranga and her husband set out on January 1 , walking nearly six kilometres through forest terrain to reach her sister’s house in Petha. She developed severe labour pains the next morning and was rushed by ambulance to Kali Ammal Hospital in Hedri . Doctors opted for an emergency caesarean section, but the delay proved fatal. The baby had already died in the womb , and Kiranga passed away soon after due to complications from rising blood pressure .

District Health Officer Dr Pratap Shinde said the woman was registered under government maternal health programmes and monitored by ASHA workers , but acknowledged that physical exertion during late pregnancy can trigger life-threatening complications . A detailed inquiry has been ordered.

The incident comes despite India making progress on maternal health indicators. Official data shows India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined to 88 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (2020–22) , down from 130 in 2014–16 . However, this remains above the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 .

In contrast, most countries in the Western world record MMR levels below 10 . Nations such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada report maternal mortality rates in the 5–9 range , while countries like Norway and Sweden have rates as low as 2–4 deaths per 100,000 live births . The gap highlights how access to timely emergency obstetric care and transport plays a decisive role in preventing maternal deaths.

While nearly 89% of deliveries in India now occur in institutions , experts say geography and infrastructure continue to undermine outcomes in tribal and forested districts such as Gadchiroli. Delays in reaching care remain one of the leading causes of preventable maternal deaths.

Officials said steps are being taken to strengthen primary health centres , expand emergency transport services , deploy mobile medical units , and improve road connectivity under schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana and the 108 ambulance network . Yet, the Gadchiroli tragedy underlines that until last-mile access improves, national averages will mask fatal inequalities on the ground .