Betanoti: A 108-ambulance left a poor couple in the lurch halfway on way to a hospital when its driver came to know that their three-year-old daughter was dead. The incident was reported from Bangiriposi area in Mayurbhanj district Thursday.
The couple Gobinda Modina and his wife Aarati Modina of Dumuria had admitted their daughter Barsha to the PRM Medical College and Hospital Wednesday.
As her condition grew critical, the medical authorities referred the case to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The couple left for Cuttack with their kid in an ambulance.
On the way, as her condition got more critical, the ambulance stopped over at Betanoti CHC. Dr Renuka Soren declared the baby dead. Learning this, the ambulance driver left the place even though the couple, local people and pharmacist Benudhar Mohant pleaded with the driver Basant Bag to give lift to the couple upto Baripada.
The couple was seen waiting with the body on the hospital verandah for four hours, as they had no money to hire a vehicle. The incident drew flak from locals.
With the intervention of Betanoti BDO Jagannath Hanuman and the CDMO, a Mahaprayan vehicle arrived and dropped the couple at their village.