Damaged Roads Force Mother in Mamasa to Give Birth at Local Resident's Home While Heading to Health Clinic

MAMASA, KOMPAS.com - A housewife in Mamasa, West Sulawesi (Sulbar), was forced to give birth at a local resident's home while en route to the health clinic on Saturday (9/19/2026). She had to be carried on a stretcher due to severely damaged roads.

The mother has been identified as Salmawati (17), a resident of Sambaho Hamlet, Pamosean Village, Mambi District, Mamasa Regency, Sulbar.

Initially, the community tried to take Salmawati to the Mambi Health Clinic by carrying her on a stretcher, accompanied by a village midwife.

Healthcare workers accompanied the villagers during the evacuation process.

Due to the damaged road conditions, Salmawati was carried on a stretcher made from a sarong tied to a bamboo pole, with villagers taking turns to carry her.

The journey began around 2:00 p.m. local time, covering nearly seven kilometers. The trip took nearly two hours.

"She had to be carried because vehicles couldn't pass," said a local resident, Achmad Faisal, to Kompas.com on Saturday evening.

However, during the journey, Salmawati’s condition became urgent, showing signs of imminent childbirth.

The villagers had to stop and take her to a nearby resident's simple home. The delivery took place there.

"Thank God, she gave birth to a baby boy, but the baby was immediately taken to the health clinic because he initially wasn’t breathing," he said.

Giving birth to a baby boy

A Nurwahida, the village midwife of Pamoseang, confirmed that a mother gave birth while being carried along a damaged road.

"Thank God the mother has given birth at the house, albeit under limited conditions," she said.

The mother and her baby are reported to be safe, although the baby is still under care at the health clinic for further treatment.

"The baby was taken to the clinic because he initially wasn’t breathing and needed intensive care," she added.

Incidents of villagers being carried on stretchers to access healthcare services at the clinic are not new in Mamasa Regency.

Recently, a villager from Botteng Village, Mahalaan District, Mamasa Regency, experienced similar hardship.

The man, identified as Sahabuddin (49), was carried on a stretcher for nine kilometers to receive treatment at the health clinic due to severely damaged village roads.

He was also carried using a sarong tied to two bamboo poles, passing through steep and broken paths until reaching a point accessible by vehicle.