**Cuttack:** A youth lost his life on Saturday (August 20) after waiting for the 108 ambulance for three long hours in a critical condition in the millennium city here, a place known for its brotherhood attitude and where such incidents are unimaginable. He had been rescued by the locals while attempting suicide, but left to die waiting for 108 ambulance.
Ommcom News investigated and found out some alarming facts regarding the mindset of people regarding the 108 ambulances and their duty towards humanity.
The original conversation between the onlookers and the 108 call centre clearly shows that at the time of the unfortunate incident, all the ambulances were busy and none were near the spot. So the locals were asked to take action on their own. The audio tapes are attached here for reference.
“We have four ambulances allotted for Cuttack city. As per the WHO norms, there will be one ambulance per one lakh population on an average,”informed Pradeep Sahoo, Assistant Marketing Manager,Ziqitza Health Care Ltd (which provides 102 and 108 ambulance services all over Odisha).
“Positioning of the ambulances is our prerogative. The ambulances are so positioned that each ambulance covers an area of 30 kms in radius and serves around a population of 1 lakh,” he added.
The Government of Odisha had initiated comprehensive pre-hospital emergency medical service with introduction of a fleet of ambulances to cover the entire State . The aim was to provide emergency service free of cost to the people of Odisha and the promise was to facilitate high end ambulance transportation system within shortest possible time in an emergency.
Has the Government failed to deliver the promises it made or have we become overdependent on government services when it comes to helping someone unknown.
The locals have expressed their displeasure about the promptness of the 108 ambulance services, and blame them for the death of the youth on roadside. But, many questions remain unanswered.
Have the people turned insensitive onlookers busy shooting the death of a man with their mobile phones rather than come forward to help him when the SCB Medical College and Hospital was just a 15-minute drive from the spot?
Have the people forgotten the good old Samaritan duty and have started the blame game rather than owning their own faults?
A reporter of Ommcom News moved across the streets of Bhubaneswar and took reactions of people regarding the 108 ambulance services.
We got mixed responses. But the question still remains. There is a huge difference between what one says and what one does.
“Many a time, 108 ambulances go outside their respective areas attending referral cases e.g an ambulance may be carrying a patient from Kalahandi to SCB, Cuttack. So, the district administration and even the local people have the power to hire a vehicle for transporting emergency patients. It is a duty to be done by all,” said Atanu Sabyasachi, Health Minister, Odisha Government