Healthcare – Ashram School Warden Carries Ill Student Six Kilometres for Treatment
Healthcare – A warden at a tribal welfare ashram school in Andhra Pradesh carried a Class VII student on her back for around six kilometres after the child developed a high fever and needed urgent medical care. The incident took place on Wednesday and drew wider attention a day later when a video showing the warden carrying the girl through a difficult route circulated on social media.
Student fell ill after returning home
The student, Vataka Bhuvaneswari, is from Vadaputti village and studies at the tribal welfare ashram school in Bhadragiri, located in Gummalaxmipuram mandal. She had recently received treatment for fever at a hospital and was recovering at home when her health reportedly worsened again.
Bhuvaneswari lives with her paternal uncle, who was also unwell at the time and unable to arrange transport for her. With no immediate way to move the child to a medical facility, the school authorities were informed about her condition.
Warden and nurse reached the village
After receiving the information, school warden Kumburka Hemani travelled to Vadaputti along with a private Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, Swapna. Following an examination, the nurse advised that the girl should be taken to hospital without delay.
However, the village does not have reliable road access to the nearest motorable point at Nellikekkuva. The lack of transport connectivity meant that an ambulance or other vehicle could not reach the child’s home directly.
Faced with the situation, Hemani lifted Bhuvaneswari onto her back and began walking along the route leading out of the village. The journey covered nearly six kilometres over a difficult stretch before they reached a place where a vehicle could be arranged.
Child taken to district hospital
Once they reached the accessible road, the student was shifted into a vehicle and taken to the district hospital in Parvathipuram. Doctors examined the girl and provided the necessary treatment.
Medical staff later said the child had reached the hospital in time. Her condition was attended to after she was brought from the remote village, according to those involved in the rescue effort.
The video of Hemani carrying the student has highlighted the challenges faced by families living in isolated tribal and hilltop settlements, where access to roads, transport and emergency healthcare can remain limited.
Warden calls for stronger rural infrastructure
Hemani, who is from Sobba hamlet in Kurupam mandal, said she acted because the student’s guardian was not in a position to take her to hospital.
She said the walk was physically demanding, but the child needed immediate medical attention. Hemani also appealed for improved basic infrastructure in remote Agency villages, particularly better roads and transport links for medical emergencies.
Her appeal reflects a broader concern in several tribal areas, where patients often have to travel long distances before reaching a health centre or hospital. During emergencies, poor road connectivity can delay treatment and place additional pressure on local residents, health workers and school staff.
The incident has renewed attention on the need for dependable emergency access in remote communities. Better all-weather roads, quicker ambulance services and stronger local health facilities could help ensure that patients in difficult-to-reach villages receive medical care without avoidable delays