Ambulance operators force father to carry son’s body on mobike in AP

Tirupati: Extortion and arm twisting by ambulance drivers at government hospital forced a father to carry the body of his son on his motorcycle all the way to his village.

The incident was witnessed at the government Ruia Hospital here on Monday night.

Jayasiva, a ten-year old boy suffering from serious kidney ailment, was admitted in Ruia Hospital. He died on Monday night and his family wanted to take the body home to their native village Chitwel, about 90 km from here in an ambulance.

When the ambulance drivers demanded Rs.18,000 as fare, the father who could ill-afford such a huge sum, spoke to his relatives in his village who sent an ambulance from there. However, the hospital ambulance operators did not allow the vehicle to take the body and attacked its driver.

A helpless father then took the body of his son on his shoulder and drove away on his motorcycle to Chitwel.

It is alleged that the ambulance operators had always been charging exorbitant rates and harassed patients. They had formed a cartel and refused to ply for anything less than the rates fixed by them which were abnormally high.

Reacting to the incident, Health Minister Vidadala Rajani said an inquiry has been ordered into the entire `unfortunate’ episode. There was no question of sparing such persons and it was being investigated whether it was the private operators or the hospital staff who had threatened the deceased’s family.

She also said that the government would come out with a policy to ensure that the ambulances are available round-the-clock for transport. The bodies from government hospitals would be shifted free of cost through Mahaprasthanam vehicles as far as possible, and in emergency situations, it would be left for the families of the dead to take a decision of their choice, she stated.

The private ambulances at all hospitals would also be brought under control, the minister added.