The scam of inertia in health department shows that the cost of the brand new ambulances accrues to over Rs 10 crore but they have been left to rot in the garages.
Several patients like Posha’s child would have been able to reach Budgam hospital in time to get her infant daughter treated if even a single of the brand new but non operational ambulances would have been put to use. Posha could not even carry the baby’s body back to her village because the district hospital refused to spare an ambulance citing a shortage. What is ironical is that the baby died barely 2 km away from the place where dozens of ambulances are gathering dust.
“The hospital administration refused to spare an ambulance for my dead baby. Some people took pity and collected Rs 800 to send me back to my village,” Posha said.
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In 2014, the Central government allocated a sum of Rs 15.3 crore under the National Rural Health Mission to the Directorates of Health Services in Jammu and Kashmir for a total replacement of the old ambulances by the upgraded Force Traveller.
It was decided that 200 ambulances will be procured, 125 of them for Kashmir to spruce up ambulances services. However it seems that just like the ambulances, the mission has also been junked.
Srinagar: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) Thursday expressed deep anguish over shortage of ambulances in the valley which takes heavy toll on patients.
President DAK Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan said in a statement that patients are dying for want of ambulances.
A 9-month old infant of village Bugchhulla of district Budgam district died on June 10 due to non availability of ambulance.
In recent past a 03 year old child in lolab area of district Kupwara died because of non availability of driver of ambulance.
Ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of patients to hospitals and critical care ambulances which are equipped with life support and qualified crew provide out of hospital care to patients with acute illness or injury.
Modern ambulances in order to facilitate patient care are fitted with two-way radio to receive and transmit information and enable them to contact hospitals.
The ambulances which are available in our health centres are as good as trucks with no resuscitation facilities and qualified staff.
Most of the health officers use ambulances for their personal use which are meant to ferry patients.
It is shocking that 125 upgraded force traveller ambulances procured last year have been left unutilized which is criminal.
These procured ambulances were dumped at different places and left for decaying.
Some health centres have no ambulances and some are without drivers and some lack both.
Ambulance service everywhere in the world is a call away in case of emergency which is a distant dream in Kashmir.
Non utilization of procured ambulances is gross negligence of unaccountable officers who are responsible for hundreds of deaths.
Those responsible for this criminal activity should be held responsible and punished.
http://www.kashmirobserver.net/news/local-news/patients-dying-want-ambulances-dak
Kashmir Solidarity Group, Mumbai 