Tragic Delay: Young Man Dies After Ambulance Breaks Down in Odisha

Incident Overview

In a heartbreaking incident in Odisha's Ganjam district, a 19-year-old man tragically lost his life after the government ambulance transporting him to a hospital broke down. According to police reports, the vehicle was stranded for approximately three hours.

The unfortunate event took place in the Khallikote ghat area on Thursday when the ambulance, carrying the patient, malfunctioned and became immobilized. It was only after a significant delay that another vehicle was dispatched to transfer the patient to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, as confirmed by a senior police officer.

The victim, Shankar Maharana, who lived in Aitipur village, had sustained injuries from a cricket ball that struck his abdomen while he was playing on Thursday afternoon. His family initially took him to Balugaon hospital, where he was later referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for advanced care.

Shankar's elder brother, Siba Moharana, expressed frustration over the delay in transferring him to the medical facility. He stated, "The ambulance broke down after traveling about 50 kilometers, and it took nearly three hours for another vehicle to arrive and take him to the hospital."

Despite their efforts to secure a replacement ambulance, the family faced a long wait. They finally reached the medical college around 3:45 AM, only to be informed by doctors that Shankar had passed away.

Sukant Kumar Nayak, the chief district medical officer of Ganjam, acknowledged the situation, stating that the 108 ambulance services are centrally managed, and he would investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic loss.