Hazaribag woman delivers twins in e-rickshaw in Koderma; one baby dies later

Koderma: Prompt action by an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) helped a 30-year-old woman give birth to twin boys inside an e-rickshaw on CH School Road at Jhumri Tilaiya in Koderma district late on Tuesday. However, in a tragic turn of events, one of the babies died on Wednesday evening, doctors said.Poonam Devi, a resident of Chauparan in Hazaribag district, was going to a private clinic in Jhumri Telaiya on Tuesday evening when she went into labour inside the vehicle. Before she could reach the clinic, she was forced to deliver the first baby inside the moving vehicle, leaving the driver and onlookers in a state of panic, as a crowd gathered at the spot. The unfolding crisis caught the attention of Priyanka Kumari, an ANM posted in Koderma block, who was passing by with her husband.Sensing that a medical emergency was underway, Priyanka and her husband, Raushan Kumar, rushed over to the e-rickshaw. Upon reaching the vehicle, she found the mother in intense pain, with one baby delivered and the second baby’s head stuck in the birth canal. Acting swiftly despite the lack of clinical resources, Priyanka managed to stabilise the situation and safely deliver the second child. The entire emergency procedure took about 15 minutes of careful medical intervention, sources said.The health worker and locals immediately arranged for an ambulance to transport the mother and her twin sons to the Sadar hospital. Poonam said, “She (nurse) was like a godsend for me. Her timely presence and expertise saved me and my newborns.”Priyanka told TOI that providing crucial support to a patient in such a vulnerable moment brought immense satisfaction to her as a healthcare worker. “It was my job,” she said.Sadar hospital officials said it was a highly unusual and risky circumstance of roadside births.On Wednesday morning, the babies were admitted to a private clinic and were under observation of a child specialist. But one of the twins died in the evening. “The delivery was premature and one of the babies was underweight,” said child specialist Dr Naresh Pandit. “The second baby has been referred to Ranchi for better treatment,” he added.