Ambulance drivers charge hefty amount to ferry patients in Chhattisgarh

While the country is dealing with shortages on all fronts, be it oxygen, medicines, vaccines, or even doctors and nurses, another issue has become a headache for the Chhattisgarh administration as ambulance drivers started fleecing the people to ferry patients to hospitals.

Korba (Chhattisgarh): India continues to record grave COVID-19 statistics with Chhattisgarh seeing a huge spike in the number of cases, bringing the state healthcare system to its knees.

While the country is dealing with shortages on all fronts, be it oxygen, medicines, vaccines, or even doctors and nurses, another issue has become a headache for the state.

ETV Bharat revealed that taking benefit of the situation, the ambulance drivers in Chhattisgarh's Korba district have seen charging hefty amounts from kin to ferry patients.

ETV Bharat team spoke to a private ambulance operator regarding the same and some ambulance operators said that they are collecting Rs 7,000 to go 70 km.

A patient's family member told that his elder brother was admitted to a government hospital. When he was shifted to another hospital in Korba, which is just half kilometre away, a private ambulance driver charged Rs 1000 from them.

At present, there are 11 government 108 Sanjeevani ambulances in Korba district. Presently, Covid-19 patients are being transported to hospitals through all these and private ambulance operators are taking advantage of the lack of government ambulances.

"At present, there are so many patients who have to reach the hospital under any circumstances. If people do not have private vehicles, they ask for an ambulance. In such a situation, private ambulances are charging more from the locals." said Tikeswar Shrivas, a government ambulance driver.

On being informed about such incidents, Korba SDM said that he is not aware of such menaces, and if such a complaint is received, action will be taken under the RTO Act.