Newborn dies as ambulance driver bargains over fare in West Bengal
Doctors had told the family they could hire an ambulance for free, but the driver demand Rs 1000.
Kolkata: A newborn died at Barasat State General Hospital in North 24 Parganas, as the driver of the ambulance allegedly wasted time in bargaining over the fare with the child’s parents, despite the fact that the service was supposed to be free of cost.
On Wednesday morning eight-month-old Rehana Sultana, the victim from Amdanga in North 24 Parganas, was rushed to the government-run hospital with acute respiratory distress. After a preliminary treatment, the doctors referred her to Dr B C Roy Memorial Hospital for Children, the lone government run super-speciality facility for paediatric care in West Bengal, in Phoolbagan of north Kolkata.
The doctors told Rehana's father Imdadul Hossein that he could hire an ambulance for free, specially reserved for the newborn's treatment, and handed over the application documents of the free of cost service to him.
The offer is available by the state health department under Janani-Shishu Suraksha scheme under the National Health Mission. Armed with the documents when Mr Hossein, accompanied by his family members, went to hire an ambulance on the hospital premises, its driver demanded nearly Rs 1,000 majority of which would cover the rate for hire apart from tips and oxygen cylinder charges.
When Mr Hossein cried of inability the driver started bargaining which continued for around one and half-an-hour before another agreed to go. When Mr Hossein and his family members went inside the hospital to take the newborn from the ward, they found her lying dead. The patient's family members burst in anger following her death and demonstrated. A fight took place between them and the hospital staff.
A police team rushed to the hospital and pacified the newborn's family. The district health department has initiated a probe and sought a report from hospital superintendent Subrata Mondal. Chief medical officer (Health) of North 24 Parganas Pranoy Bardhan said, "Strong action will be taken into the incident if anyone is found guilty."