Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Oct 30: A few years back a new Ambulance was provided to PHC Baratang by Directorate of Health Services after series of media reports. Since then the entire region of Baratang never faced any major problem with Ambulance service but now it seems things have gone wrong in Baratang region.
As per reports nearly five month back the ambulance, which was in good running condition, was brought back to Port Blair in name of repair and in place of the ambulance the Health Services have been sending alternative ambulances, which are in horrible condition.
According public leaders of Baratang condition of these alternative ambulances is so bad that it suffers breakdown almost during every trip to Port Blair, often while shifting serious patient to Port Blair.
Even yesterday while shifting a serious patient the ambulance, which was sent to Baratang from PHC Ferrargunj, suffered breakdown near Miletilak, on its way to Port Blair and then another alternative ambulance was arranged.
“Since last nearly 10 days there is no ambulance at all PHC Baratang and in case of emergency either an ambulance is sent from PHC Ferrargunj or other Health Centers to evacuate patients and serious patients of Baratang are made to wait for hours and hours at Baratang Island,” alleged Mr. Alager Swami the former Up-adhyaksh of N & M Andaman, Zilla Parishad.
Whenever we contact officials in health department for a good condition Ambulance, we are told that due to problems in purchasing of spare-parts after introduction of GeM system of procurement, repairing ambulance has become a major challenge.
“As public, we are concerned if there is no Ambulance for patients of our region. What will happen if there is some emergency tomorrow? We don’t have an ambulance today,” pointed out Mr. Alager Swami. Senior Officers of Health Department were unavailable for a comment today.
Public of Baratang region are now demanding that an Ambulance, which is fit for ATR journey must be immediately sent for PHC Baratang to make sure that no serious patient, of the region, suffer due to lack of proper health infrastructure.
