Denial of timely ambulance service led to woman patient's death at civic hospital, allege kin

Thane, May 6 (PTI) A 43-year-old woman patient died after she failed to get an ambulance service in time and was made to wait for nearly five hours at a civic-run hospital in Kalyan town of Maharashtra's Thane district, her family members alleged on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday at the Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan East operated by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), they said.

The hospital authorities said action will be taken against those responsible for the lapses.

Savita Birajdar, a local resident, was undergoing treatment at the hospital after suffering a paralytic stroke and severe brain complications. When her condition deteriorated on Monday afternoon, doctors advised that she be urgently shifted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, her relatives said.

However, due to a prolonged delay in ambulance availability, the patient died at the entrance of the hospital before she could be moved out, they said.

According to her family members, they were repeatedly denied an ambulance by the hospital and its drivers, who refused to respond unless multiple patients were transported together to make the trip more profitable.

The ambulance staff did not take into account the urgency of the patient's condition, citing personal breaks and low fare concerns.

The hospital has four ambulances, but only one is currently operational. The remaining three are either non-functional due to accidents or have been decommissioned, sources said.

Former corporator Mahesh Gaikwad visited the hospital after the incident.

"There is no ICU, no sufficient staff and no doctors. Then why are you admitting poor patients here? Just to let them die?" Gaikwad asked the medical staff.

He warned that if proper medical facilities are not made available immediately, he and his supporters will "lock the hospital".

"This did not happen for the first time. The hospital administration and these arrogant ambulance drivers are playing with patients' lives. This must stop," he said.

Relatives of the deceased demanded strict action against the ambulance drivers, accusing them of extortion and gross negligence.

Dr Sandeep Pagare, Chief Medical Officer of the Rukminibai Hospital, confirmed the incident and stated, "We have taken serious cognisance of the matter and will act against those responsible. A detailed report is being submitted to the Deputy Commissioner." PTI COR NP