A 26-year-old pregnant woman from Maharashtra's Palghar district tragically lost her life, along with her unborn child, while being transported to a hospital in an ambulance lacking oxygen support and necessary medical facilities, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, has once again brought the spotlight on the lack of adequate healthcare services in tribal and rural regions. The woman, identified as Pinki Dongarkar, a resident of Sarni village, was in critical condition and rushed by her family to Kasa rural hospital. However, due to complications arising from her condition, including Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD) – a condition where the foetus dies in the womb – hospital staff referred her to Silvassa city in the neighbouring Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli for further treatment.