Useless 108 ambulance service at Hebri

Team Udayavani, Jul 6, 2018, 4:43 PM IST

Hebri: The 108 ambulance service which should be of use to the people remains useless. As there is no nurse since 9 months, the service has been stopped. Due to this, during an emergency situation, there is no service provided thus causing trouble to the people.

 There are a total of 18 ambulances in Udupi district for which 45 people staff is required. But currently, there are only 25 people in service. In Hebri, there is a shortage of nurses. As per the rules, the service is not possible without a nurse. Hence, even though there is an ambulance, it is of absolute no use.

Not possible to save life!

Since there is no ambulance service in Hebri, the people are forced to wait for vehicles from Kokkarne, Perduru and Ajekaru. There have been incidents were lives have been lost due to lack of swift service emergency service and treatment. Recently at Belanje and Santhekatte, though the ambulance were called to shift persons who had attempted suicide by consuming poison could not be saved since the ambulance reached late and it was too late in reaching the hospital.

There has also been an incident where, though the ambulance driver is not suppose to take patients without a nurse, an ambulance driver nonetheless swiftly took a poor patient to the hospital and thereby shown an exemplary act of humanity.

Action intimated

“There is a staff problem. A report has been brought from the related persons and an intimation has been sent to the related persons to take immediate actions,” informed DC, Rohini.

Staff won’t stay

“Matrons were appointed for the 18 ambulances in the district. There is no specific time in 108. The number of people joining, working for a few days and leaving has increased,” explains Gururaj, 108 ambulance supervisor.