MUMBAI, May 28: Relatives of a woman in Maharashtra's Hingoli district on Thursday alleged that a delay in getting a government ambulance due to alleged diesel shortage resulted in the death of her unborn child, even though the administration stated that diesel shortage was not the reason for the vehicle not being available. Amid outrage triggered by the incident, Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar promised a probe. According to the woman's family, they waited for nearly two hours for a government ambulance after she developed labour pain at Jawala Bazar, but were allegedly told that the vehicle could not be sent due to lack of diesel. The woman's relatives arranged a private vehicle and took her to the Government Medical College in Hingoli, where doctors performed a C-section but could not save her baby. Minister Abitkar said in Nanded that it would be incorrect to conclude that an ambulance was denied due to the non-availability of diesel, but assured that the incident would be probed.
"If such an incident has occurred, we will conduct an inquiry. There is a budgetary provision for diesel for ambulances. If the infrastructure created by us has not been properly utilised for society, an inquiry will be ordered, and action will be taken against those found responsible," he told reporters.
Rohini Khadse, women's wing state president of the NCP (SP), questioned the state government's claim that there was no fuel shortage in Maharashtra and asked "who should be held accountable: the health administration, ambulance staff or the government".
The woman's relatives said her condition was deteriorating when they dialed the 108 and 102 emergency ambulance services for help. They claimed that the staffers told them not to call again "as the vehicle had no diesel".
The family said a 102 ambulance was parked outside the primary health centre in their area, but despite repeated requests, it was not provided to them.
"We are poor people. How could we arrange a private vehicle immediately during such an emergency? They clearly refused to provide the ambulance, saying there was no diesel. If something had happened to my daughter, too, who would have been responsible?" the woman's mother said.
"The chief minister says diesel is available, but we did not get the ambulance because of lack of diesel. The doctor said that if we had reached the hospital early, the baby could have been saved," she added.
After the incident came to light, citizens took to social media to slam the public healthcare system and question emergency medical services in rural Maharashtra. |
