Ernakulam Government Medical College Hospital ambulance service in disarray

KOCHI: The Ernakulam Government Medical College Hospital, which is facing a host of shortcomings hitting the care given from the hospital, is also limping in the case of the critical care service of ambulances.

The current strength of ambulances is four including two tempo travelers, one Maruti Eeco and Maruti Omni. But only two of them are in service, according to the resident medical officer Dr Ganesh Mohan.

“One ambulance is out of use while one has been in the workshop. Its works are over, and we are awaiting fitness certificate. The trauma care ambulance and another one are in use,” he said.

“Our patient base is increasing day by day. It has gone up to 1.5 lakh in the past one year. So more ambulances are need of the hour to give timely care to the patients,” he said.

There are allegations that the nine drivers at the hospital don’t have much work to do in the absence of sufficient number of ambulances. However, the RMO refuted these allegations.

“Though there are not enough ambulances, these drivers are used for operating other vehicles including that of buses for college students and principal,” he said.

Meanwhile, there are also allegations that the ambulances are deliberately idled to aid a private ambulance service.

“This private ambulance is summoned by the hospital authorities in times of emergency that causes a drain on government coffers,” said Ebin Raj, Yuva Morcha Ernakulam district secretary.