A newborn died on Friday as a callous driver of the 102 Ambulance refused to put the baby on oxygen support without payment of Rs 3,000 and drove a very long distance to reach the Shishu Bhawan in Cuttack from Baleswar.
According to reports, Gitanjali Sankhua, a resident of Baleswar district, had given birth to a baby boy on September 30 in the Soro hospital. After the baby developed breathing problems, doctors referred the boy to the Baleswar District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). There, the baby’s condition deteriorated and he was again referred to the Shisu Bhawan in Cuttack. At 8:40 am on Friday, Gitanjali and her husband Narahari called for a 102 Ambulance to take the child to Cuttack. There was no other staff excepting the driver in the ambulance.
Though the 102 Ambulance is a free service, yet the driver asked Narahari midway to pay `3,000 to give oxygen to the baby. Unable to pay, the poor parents requested the driver to keep the baby on oxygen support. But the driver refused and demanded `600 for lunch and `100 for Gutka on the way. Narahari paid these two amounts for a hope of getting oxygen for the baby. Even then, the driver did not put the baby on oxygen support. They reached Sishu Bhawan at 12:30 pm. By this time the baby had reportedly died.
But the heartless driver was still hankering after more money. He even threw their belongings on road in anger and took away referral papers and return card from Narhari.
This matter came to the fore after Narhari lodged an FIR against the driver at the lalbag police station in Cuttack.