The 108 ambulance service agency in Kalahandi suspended the on-duty driver and cluster leader after the death of 11-year-old Riya Nayak during an inter-facility transfer on Thursday.
The action followed public outrage over the functioning of emergency healthcare services in the district.
Riya, a resident of Tulapada village under Narla block, had been admitted to Narla Community Health Centre with high fever and severe stomach pain. Her condition worsened, prompting a transfer to Kalahandi District Headquarters Hospital in Bhawanipatna.
According to the agency, a call was received at 9:32 am, and an ambulance from Rupra PHC was dispatched at 9:37 am. It reached Narla CHC at 10:01 am after covering 18 km. At boarding, Riya’s pulse was already very low. While en route, the ambulance suffered a rear tyre puncture near Chatikuda. The crew replaced the tyre with the stepney, but it also failed due to low air pressure.
The crew informed the Call Centre again at 10:31 am, requesting another ambulance. A second vehicle was dispatched from Kalahandi DHH at 10:36 am and reached the location at 11:11 am after covering 24 km. Riya was shifted to the hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead.
The agency confirmed that the suspension will remain until the inquiry concludes. It assured disciplinary action based on the investigation’s outcome. Earlier reports alleged that the ambulance’s spare tyre was defective and that no immediate alternative transport was arranged, leaving the patient stranded before another ambulance arrived.
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