Hyderabad: With the onset of COVID-19, a very acute problem that existed for long is brought into the open – lack of equipped ambulance facilities. This is proving fatal for those patients who need urgent oxygen/ventilator support before they reach the hospital.
Ashok Palle, the President of Telangana State 108 employees’ union says that 90% of the existing ambulances lack facilities that are required to transport patients in need of critical care.
There are neither paramedic facilities nor spare oxygen cylinders available in the ambulance.
Kanaka Raju- a patient’s husband, who availed an ambulance service, had commented that the ambulances were simply being used as transport vehicles. Recently, in another unfortunate incident, a 61-year old Covid-19 patient passed away due to the lack of an oxygen cylinder in the ambulance.
However, the private ambulances continue to charge high rates despite being unequipped with facilities.