Reena Ramteke

Reena Ramteke belongs to a remote village of 60 families in the district of Ghariaband in the state of Chhattisgarh in eastern India. The region that she lives in is heavily forested. Basic amenities like water, electricity and roads are lacking or altogether absent. Life is difficult, poverty is rife. The state is hell-bent on exploiting the forests and the mineral-rich land. There is state violence and caste violence. “People in my district face a lot of problems. The denial of forest rights is a major issue. Though the Kamar people are the indigenous inhabitants of the land, they are…

Do pregnant women in remote villages of India receive healthcare services they are entitled to under the Indian government’s schemes to bring down maternal deaths and infant mortality? In this village, a state-run health facility is always shut.

This video follows three women – one who lost her baby within 6 days of birth due to lack of medical assistance; another, had a still-born baby due to unassisted home-birth and a third who is 9 months pregnant has no access to healthcare. Community Correspondent Reena Ramteke reports from Khatti village, Gariaband district, Chhattisgarh.

This series on community monitoring of maternal health in India is supported by Oxfam India.