Post News Network
Cuttack, Jan 24: The 108 Ambulance Service has hit the headlines again for all wrong reasons. A patient in critical condition was left unattended for hours even after repeated calls to the ambulance service recently – a pointer to failure of the scheme to reach out to the needy.
Sources said, T Jaya, an old man of Buxi Bazaar, tried to commit suicide by jumping into a pond near Netaji Birthplace Museum at 11am January 22. A youth, however, saved him from drowning. By the time the youth rescued him, Jaya’s condition deteriorated. Locals rang PCR van and 108 ambulance personnel to get the patient admitted to a hospital, but in vain. They later admitted Jaya to City Hospital. The hospital authorities, however, referred the patient to SCB Medical College and Hospital.Again an ambulance was needed to shift Jaya to SCB after his family expressed their inability to admit the patient to SCB due to the poor financial condition.
They rang the control room to avail the service. Instead of providing immediate service to patient, the control room authorities kept on asking unnecessary questions. Irked over the control room authorities’ behaviour, locals urged the hospital authorities to help shift the patient. ADMO C Kanungo provided ambulance service to patient at free of cost.
When asked, 108 ambulance control room executive officer said, SCB, Sishu Bhawan, City Hospital and Madhupatna Hospital have been provided one 108 ambulance each. It is not possible to provide ambulance facility every time as number of recipients for the service keeps rising day by day, the executive added.
