Heart-wrenching scene in Bhubaneswar: Elderly TB patient taken to hospital on bicycle by wife, sister-in-law

In a heart-touching yet shocking incident from the state capital, an elderly tuberculosis (TB) patient was taken to the hospital on a bicycle due to the family’s inability to arrange proper transport in time.

The incident, which unfolded in the Adarsh Basti area of Bhubaneswar, raised serious questions about the accessibility of emergency healthcare facilities even in urban areas.

The patient, identified as Kalia Singh, had been suffering from illness for a long time. On Tuesday morning, he reportedly experienced sudden chest pain. In a desperate attempt to save him, his wife and sister-in-law placed him on a bicycle and started pedalling toward the nearest hospital.

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Locals who witnessed the scene were left deeply moved, as the family struggled to balance the frail old man on the bicycle while rushing for medical help.

According to family sources, they did not contact an ambulance due to the suddenness of the situation and their financial limitations. They opted for the quickest way available, a bicycle.

The incident exposes the stark reality faced by economically weaker sections, even in a city like Bhubaneswar, where healthcare infrastructure is expanding. It highlights the urgent need for better awareness about emergency medical services and quicker response systems to ensure that no one has to rely on a bicycle to reach a hospital in a medical emergency.