Baripada: A doctor of a government-run hospital of Mayurbhanj has rescued a 35-year-old woman, along with her five-day-old infant girl, who had taken shelter underneath a culvert after delivery.

The doctor, Dakhina Ranjan Tudu, is the medical officer in charge of Raruan community health centre.

The woman, Pramila Tiria, who had been staying under the culvert in abject distress, was rescued by Dr Tudu on Monday night. The medico rushed her to Raruan community health centre in his car and administrated treatment.

The doctor said both the mother and the child were stable after treatment. Pramila delivered the girl child on the night of May 3.

Dr Tudu said: "On Monday night around 10.30pm, I got a call from an unknown number that a mother and her newborn child were languishing under a culvert. I immediately left for the spot in may car. As it was dark outside, I could not find her at the said location. Later with the help of a local resident named Ram Singh Tiria, I could locate her underneath the culvert."

"The condition of both of them were very precarious at that time as the mother and the child were in dehydrated state. Their pulses were rapid and the child had developed umbilical sepsis. Her husband, Mangulu Singh, a daily wage earner was with her. They were brought and admitted at community health centre," he said.

The distance between her village, Sarubil under Sukruli block, and the community health centre is about 17km.

This was the eight delivery of the woman.

Pramila took shelter underneath the culvert as their house was damaged by a jumbo herd in December. They thought that it would be wiser to avoid staying in the village as nor'westers continued to play havoc. So, they decided to take shelter there.

Pramila said she had undergone pre-natal check-ups and her health card was with an anganwadi worker. "I am yet to see her health card, but she would be vaccinated assuming that she has not taken anything," said Dr Tudu.