Dhenkanal, July 17: In a heartbreaking incident reported from Kankadahad block of Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, a three-year-old child died due to delay in getting treatment as a 108 ambulance allegedly failed to arrive on time.
The deceased child has been identified as Raju Munda, son of Shyam Munda.
As per reports, Raju had gone to take a bath with his friends when he reportedly slipped and fell into a canal near his home. Thereafter, he was rescued, and the family quickly called the 108 ambulance service to take him to Kamakhyanagar Hospital.
However, his family claimed that the ambulance did not arrive on time. Left out with no other option, they took the child to the hospital on a motorbike. Unfortunately, when they arrived at Kamakhyanagar Hospital, the doctors declared the child dead.
Tribal leader Madhabananda Marandi called on the government to take responsibility for the situation. "I urge the government to ensure that the 108 ambulance service reaches people on time. We have seen multiple instances where the service fails to operate properly," he said. He further alleged, "At times, due to poor maintenance—or sometimes no maintenance at all—ambulances break down halfway. Even after 30 minutes or an hour, they often don’t reach the patients."
However, neither the 108 ambulance service management nor the state health department could be reached for comments over the allegations.
