DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Apr 23: On 22nd April 2013 issue Andaman Sheekha had carried a story with caption “Insufficient number of ferry vessels leaves Diglipur residents at High Sea” in which the issue of shortage of ferry vessel was highlighted. As usual the news story fell on deaf ears and today a new born baby died at PHC Radhanagar, Diglipur, just because a seven month pregnant mother could not find a seat in ferry vessels for Port Blair and delivered the baby prematurely.
Fuming parents and relatives now question that who should be held responsible for the death of the new born baby, the Shipping Department, the District Administration or the ever sleeping Administration, which takes public problems too lightly.
Recently, a seven month-pregnant woman went for routine check-up at Radhanagar PHC but due to High Blood Pressure she was referred to CHC Diglipur from there she was referred to GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha Dr. Gaurav of PHC Randhanagar said that the lady needed an Ultra Sound Check up urgently. The Doctor added that as the pregnant lady was not fit for travel via bus in ATR, she was referred with a note of ‘Top Priority’ for ferry vessel ticket for this patient.
But even after the ‘Top Priority’ note the patient was unable to get ferry vessel ticket as only four tickets are reserved by the Shipping Department for patients in every sailing, while that day seven other patients were also in queue and were referred to G B Pant Hospital.
Again after four days, the relatives of the patient could not get a ticket for the ferry vessel as eight other referred patients were in queue. On that particular sailing some patients along with 15 attendants and two medical staffs went to Port Blair but still the lady couldn’t get a ticket.
Yesterday, the suffering lady delivered a seven month premature baby at her residence. Later the baby was brought to PHC Radhanagar, where the child died today.
The Child died because it is very difficult for even patient to get ferry vessel tickets for Port Blair from Diglipur due to shortage of ferry vessels. The Child died because the DSS has earmarked only four tickets per sailing for patient, knowing fully well that from the remote Islands, a lot of referred patients come to Port Blair in every sailing. The child also died because no hospital in Diglipur region has Ultra Sound technician or radiologist although there is one Ultra Sound Machine in North and Middle Andaman region.
People of North and Middle Andaman now question the Lt. Governor that how many people will have to die in Diglipur region to prove that the region needs daily ferry vessels, much more than Neil and Havelock Islands, which has seven to eight sailing of ferry vessels daily.
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