Balasore: The management of the ambulance services especially in remote areas has once again come under scanner after a pregnant woman died allegedly after ambulance failed to arrive on time in Kansa village under Nilagiri police limits in the district on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Basanti Nayak.
According to sources, Basanti underwent labour pain following which her family members called 102 ambulance services. However, no ambulance of nearby Berhampur and Nilagiri hospitals was available immediately.
Later, 102 ambulance from district headquarters hospital (DHH) reached the village. Though Basanti was subsequently rushed to Nilagiri hospital in the ambulance, she was declared brought dead by the doctors. Moreover, delay in arrival of ambulance also resulted in the death of the unborn child.
"We called the ambulance at around 7.00 pm but no services were available at Berhampur and Nilagiri hospitals. Later, one 102 ambulance from Balasore reached our village at around 12 am. If we had reached the hospital little earlier, my wife would have survived" said Sanjay Nayak, husband of the deceased.
"Even after repeated calls the ambulance didn't turn up quickly for which the patient died," alleged ASHA worker of Kansa village, Bishnu Priya Das.
Responding to the allegations, Nilagiri 102 ambulance vendor Umakanta Nayak said “We have withdrawn our vehicles from ambulance service due to delay in payment of bills since November 5 last year. However, we are ready to engage our vehicles but the concerned organisation is not co-operating with us".