Meet the nurse who crosses crocodile-infested river to help patients

Women still live with the stereotype of being timid, and rarely do people expect them to be taking on life-risking challenges for their work. However, every day, brave women across the country are breaking stereotypes and proving their capabilities. The story of Sunita Thakur, who is working as a nurse, proves she is one among them.

For the last seven years, Sunita has been risking her life every day to treat her patients who live across the Indravati River in Chattisgarh. The river, which is infested with crocodiles, is not particularly safe.

However, Sunita, who is working as an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (AWM), uses a makeshift boat to row across the Indravati river. She has been doing this religiously to take care of the pregnant women, and newborns.

It has happened on multiple occasions that the crocodiles living in the river attack Sunita’s boat while she is rowing across it. According to the India Times, she told ANI,

Even after we get to the other side, there are no roads or vehicles. I have to walk for 8-10 km to reach where the patients live.

To reach the villagers, Sunita crosses a thick forest where she sometimes encounters dangerous animals. However, Sunita’s determination to help out her patients never made her doubt herself.

Sunita only has two companions with her for the journey- her makeshift boat and another friend who accompanies her. Though scared, she believes that the villagers’ life is more precious than hers, and she has to face these challenges for their sake.

According to The Logical Indian, Sunita is helping out the residents of interior regions of Dantewada. These areas in Chhattisgarh have known to be affected by the Naxalite movement, as a result of which access to healthcare facilities in these areas is very poor.

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