In yet another incident that has brought the deteriorating healthcare services in the State to the fore, an ailing woman died on Sunday after being carried by her husband on a trolley from Sakhigopal in Puri district to Cuttack for treatment due to unavailability of an ambulance on Friday.
The woman died while undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College Hospital here at 12.20 pm, informed Hospital Emergency Officer Dr Bhubanananda Maharana.
He said the woman had developed kidney-related ailments and was also suffering from cancer.Notably, Kabir Bhoi, a resident of Sakhigopal, had admitted his wife Sukanti to the local Community Health Centre (CHC) after she complained of illness. Sukanti was diagnosed with a low level of hemoglobin and treated at the CHC for ten days. Doctors later referred her to the SCB Hospital.
Kabir tried to arrange an ambulance but in vain. He also tried to arrange an auto-rickshaw, but the poor man was unable to afford it as the three-wheeler driver demanded a fare of Rs 1,200.With no option left, Kabir hired a trolley for Rs 50 and carried his wife all the way from Sakhigopal to Cuttack covering about 90 km.
On Friday evening, a local provided food and shelter to the couple near Telengapentha here.Later, social worker Abhimanyu Das and some journalists facilitated the admission of the woman to the SCB Hospital.