Basket being used to take patients to hospital in lack of ambulance service

Kathmandu - Basket is being used to take patients to health facility in lack of ambulance in the district headquarters based hospital. The 50-bed Jajarkot district hospital has no ambulance service in place as its patient-carrying vehicle has remained unrepaired for the past two years. Though the ambulance was taken to garage for change in two tyres and mobile engine the repair was not carried out in lack of financial resources, shared driver Rakesh Kumar Shah.

It has been a big trouble to take the patients to hospital for no ambulance services. There is no single ambulance in Jajarkot after the ambulance of the District Red Cross also got technical snag. It is very regretful to know apathetic response of concerned authorities in regard to the maintenance and operation of ambulance, complained locals.

People are relying on basket and stretcher to bring the patients to health facility in absence of ambulance services while they are compelled to reserve public and private vehicle to take the patients to outer districts. Acting manager of Health Service Office Dr Sunil Pun informed that the ambulance service has not been made regular after maintenance for not being able to manage Rs 150,000. However, hospital development committee chair Dharmasheela Basnet said the ambulance was too old and a process was put forward to demand a new ambulance from the ministry of social development.