Muthuvan woman carried on bamboo stretcher through forest to hospital
A 40-year-old woman with high fever was carried 7 km on a bamboo stretcher through dense forest in Edamalakkudy, the fourth such case in a month.
In Kerala's Edamalakkudy, a 40-year-old woman suffering from high fever was transported to a hospital on a makeshift bamboo stretcher, carried by hand over 7 kilometers through dense forest. This marks the fourth such incident in the past month, underscoring the persistent lack of proper roads and bridges in the region.
Edamalakkudy is the state's first tribal panchayat, located near Munnar. The Muthuvan tribal community, which resides here, continues to face severe disruptions to daily life due to inadequate connectivity. The absence of motorable roads forces residents to rely on manual transport through difficult terrain, even for medical emergencies.
The repeated need for such makeshift stretchers highlights the urgent infrastructure deficit in this remote area. Each journey through the forest not only delays access to care but also places a physical burden on the community members who must carry the patient. The situation remains a pressing concern for the tribal population, with no immediate solution in sight.