An ambulance parked at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, June 14: U. Srinivas Rao, a member of the Berhampur Railway Workers Union, who had been admitted to the surgery ward of M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital here, could not be taken to Bhubaneswar by a government ambulance due to absence of a driver on Sunday. He had to be shifted by a private ambulance.

Similar is the case with many critical patients whose attendants face difficulties in moving patients to other places. “We have four drivers for five ambulances. We have intimated it to the state health department. However, no fresh appointment has been made, nor any contractual driver has been posted,” Jogendra Prasad Behera, superintendent of the M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital, said.

“We need at least six to seven ambulance drivers. It often becomes troublesome to shift a patient in case of an emergency,” Behera said.

The hospital, however, is availing of the services of two drivers attached to the M.K.C.G. Medical College. “It is a temporary adjustment. But, the medical college is going to introduce a new bus soon and after that we won’t be able to get the drivers’ service. Moreover, two permanent ambulance drivers are going to retire shortly,” Behera said.

“We are also availing of services of the drivers of the two dead body carriages of the blood bank managed by the Red Cross,” he said.

The hospital has one large ambulance, one Bolero, two Mahindra Max and one mini ambulance.

Regarding the case of Rao, the superintendent said all the drivers were out of station at that time. “When a driver reached here from Bhubaneswar after dropping a patient and was ready to go to Bhubaneswar again after some refreshment, Rao’s attendants had arranged for a private ambulance,” Behera said.

Apart from five government ambulances, there are about 10 private ambulances in the hospital. “We charge Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000 within a limit of 200km. We fix the rate considering the party,” said Bapuji, a private ambulance owner.

People prefer the government ambulance to avoid negotiations and high charges. “We require another two drivers for the trauma care centre and would avail the service through outsourcing soon. We are also planning to introduce an air-conditioned ambulance,” said the superintendent.