Tragic Delay in Ambulance Service Leads to Patient's Death in Majuli
Patient Dies Due to Delayed Ambulance Response
Ambulance allegedly only reached after the death of the 70-year-old patient in Majuli (Photo: AT)
Jorhat, July 3: A 70-year-old man passed away at the Pitambar Deva Goswami District Hospital in Majuli after an emergency ambulance reportedly took over five hours to arrive, raising serious concerns about healthcare services in the region.
The individual, identified as Shishuram Rajkhowa from Komar Gaon, was referred for advanced medical care following a cardiac incident after being admitted to the facility.
His family claimed that they contacted the 108 emergency service around 7 PM on Thursday for his transfer to Dibrugarh, but the ambulance did not arrive before he succumbed to his condition around 11:30 PM.
Rajkhowa had been receiving treatment at the hospital for over a week for various health issues, including hypertension and diabetes.
According to his relatives, his health had shown signs of improvement while in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), but worsened after he was moved out of the ICU.
His daughter-in-law expressed frustration, stating that they repeatedly asked hospital staff for help in arranging transportation but received minimal assistance.
"We kept calling the doctors and nurses for updates, but there was no proper response. We even asked them to refer him to another facility if they couldn't provide adequate care," she recounted.
She further claimed that after the referral was made on Thursday evening, the family faced challenges in securing an ambulance despite numerous calls.
"We began calling the 108 service around 7:30 PM. Initially, no one answered. Later, they returned the call, stating it would take about an hour to arrive. We requested the nurses to follow up, but every time we checked, we were told to wait longer. Meanwhile, his condition continued to decline," she added.
As Rajkhowa's health deteriorated, relatives sought help from hospital staff to expedite the ambulance service but received little support.
"The hospital staff advised us to take him to Dibrugarh, but there wasn't a single 108 ambulance available to transport him to either Dibrugarh or Jorhat," she mentioned.
Rajkhowa ultimately passed away around 11:30 PM while still waiting for transfer, according to family members.
Another relative claimed that the doctors did not personally check on the patient and that the family was pressured to complete paperwork while waiting for emergency transport.
"Treatment was ongoing, but the doctor never came to examine him. Only nurses were present. We kept trying to reach the 108 service, but our calls were often disconnected," the relative stated.
Additionally, family members alleged that ambulance personnel were hesitant to make the trip due to the ongoing flood conditions.
"We were informed that some ambulance drivers were concerned about the flood situation and rising water levels. Meanwhile, hospital staff insisted we sign documents. We objected, stating that the ambulance should arrive first. When my daughter-in-law questioned them, arguments ensued," the relative recounted.
As of the time of this report, hospital authorities and officials from the 108 ambulance service had not provided a detailed response to the allegations.