Bhopal, Aug 31 (IANS): In the absence of an ambulance, a man was forced to rush his pregnant woman to a health centre on a pushing cart in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district only to find the staff absent.

After the video of the incident went viral on social media, the district administration started an inquiry into the matter.

The woman's husband, who was identified as Kailash Ahirwar, a resident of Raneh village located around 60 km from district headquarters Damoh, alleged that after his wife went into labour on Tuesday, he called the 108 government ambulance service but no ambulance came for two hours.

Left with no choice, he then put his wife on a push-cart and rushed her to the local Arogya Kendra where no nurse or doctor was available, Kailash claimed.

Later, she was shifted to Hatta by a government ambulance.

However, after the video surfaced on social media, the district administration swung into action and the woman was shifted to district hospital, as per an official.

Meanwhile, a senior medical official posted in Damoh district health centre said that an inquiry into the matter has been ordered. "Notices have been issued to the concerned employees as to why an ambulance was not provided to ferry the pregnant woman to hospital and action would be taken after the inquiry is done," the official said, requesting anonymity.

Notably, last week, a similar incident was reported in Bhind district where family members had carried a senior citizen on a pushing cart to a hospital. The district administration had then lodged an FIR against three journalists for reporting the matter.