Santoshi Rai, 38, wife of Dhokal Bahadur Rai, a resident at Dandabokhim of Helauchha6 has died after giving birth to a baby at her home on February 10. She had given birth to the newborn at 3:30 pm and died after half an hour, locals said.

Santoshi, who had already been to a mother to four daughters and a son, has died as she had complications after giving birth to the newborn, locals said, adding that the newborn is alive.

Health post of the VDC is at two hours walk from Dandabohim, according to the locals, adding that Santoshi died for the want of treatment. Though maternity service is available free of cost in government health institutions, several mothers and their newborns are being dying due to unsafe maternity service in rural parts of the country.

A woman from Dovane VDC had died due to excessive bleeding while giving birth to a baby in the district some time ago. Though the District Health Office (DHO) has created awareness in rural areas with the mobilization of women health workers for safe maternity, pregnant women giving birth to baby at home has not stopped due to geographical difficulties, said DHO chief Narendra Jha.