After delivery, woman dies on way to SCB Hospital

JAGATSINGHPUR: Absence of ambulance service at Balikuda Community Health Centre (CHC) claimed the life of a pregnant woman in the district on Friday. The deceased, Ruksana Begum, a native of Anjira village was admitted to the CHC after complaining of labour pain. However, after delivery, she suffered from excruciating pain and doctors advised her to be shifted to SCB  Medical College and Hospital. Since there was no ambulance in the CHC, her husband hired a private ambulance that reached the health centre late.  Ruksana succumbed while being shifted to Cuttack.

Originally, an 108 ambulance was provided to Balikuda CHC but it has been lying defunct for the last one month. In the absence of ambulance service, people and pregnant women are facing a harrowing time in reaching hospitals. A doctor of Balikuda CHC, requesting anonymity,  said since there is no ambulance and blood bank in the health centre, they are referring most of the patients to Cuttack.

Under the National Rural Health Mission, 108 ambulance has been supplied to 11 CHCs and 12 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the district. While 108 ambulance is meant for critical patients including pregnant women, 102 ambulance is only for pregnant women. Balikuda block, with a population of 1.7 lakh, has six PHCs and only Balikuda CHC was sanctioned an ambulance.  Balikuda CHC Medical Officer Ajaya Swain said as there is no 108 or 102 ambulance service here, patients and pregnant women make their own arrangements in reaching the health centres. Health Cluster Coordinator Sarada Kumar Behera said spare parts for the ambulance were not available but steps are being taken to repair it within the next two weeks.Not only Balikuda, ambulance services in Erasama and Kujang blocks are also non-existent.