Poor suffer as Gandhi ambulances go defunct

Secunderabad: People planning to take back their dear ones home are hiring private vehicles as most of the ambulances at Gandhi Hospital are not in a working condition. Patients have to wait near the hospital for hours to take the dead body of their dear ones or hire private vehicles.

There were 10 ambulances in Gandhi Hospital, but now, only four are in working condition while the remaining six are under repair, according to the officials. Patients are forced to spend a lot of money for hiring private ambulance.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Tuesday, Yadaiah, an attendant of a patient, said, "The cost of the ambulance is much more than the cost of treatment. The poor cannot afford it." A native of Ghatkesar, he was caught stranded at the hospital for want of money and could move his brother only after his relatives brought cash.

There are close to 1,800 patients admitted at the hospital at any given point of time, while the bed strength is just over 1,000. Mallesh (name changed on request) a sub-staff at the hospital, said, "Poor patients just cannot afford to hire private ambulance."

Private ambulances charge anywhere between Rs 2,000 to 3,000 even for a few km. Some people need ambulance to shift the patients to other hospital but they have to wait for hours for the ambulance.

Senior doctors said that a proposal was submitted to the State government for more ambulances. The demand for ambulance service is huge. Many a time, the vehicles are sent to nearby towns as many patients from the towns close to Hyderabad visit Gandhi Hospital as most of the accident cases are referred there.