Jagatsinghpur,Sept 1: In a tragic and shocking incident, a 58-year-old woman lost her life due to the alleged absence of oxygen in a private ambulance while being transferred to Cuttack for advanced medical care. The incident, which occurred late Sunday night, has sparked public outrage in Jagatsinghpur.
The deceased has been identified as Kamala Panda, a resident of Brahmanakhand village under Alaka Panchayat in Jagatsinghpur district. Panda was reportedly suffering from severe chest pain and was initially taken to Jagatsinghpur District Headquarters Hospital. When her condition worsened, she was referred to Cuttack for further treatment.
The patient was being transported in a private ambulance operated under the name "Ma Kutamchandi." However, during the journey, it was discovered that the ambulance carried only an empty oxygen cylinder. When Panda required oxygen support, the onboard staff reportedly placed an oxygen mask on her face- despite there being no oxygen supply.
According to eyewitnesses, the lack of oxygen led to the patient’s death en route. Following the incident, enraged locals vandalized the ambulance and handed it over to the Jagatsinghpur Sadar Police. The driver of the ambulance reportedly fled the scene and remains absconding.
Police have initiated an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, the incident has raised serious concerns over the regulation and oversight of private ambulance services operating in the region.
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