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Indore (Madhya Pradesh): An ambulance donated by SBI to Government Chacha Nehru Children Hospital under CSR activities was intended for use in transporting child patients.
However, the hospital administration handed it over to the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MY Hospital) administration, claiming it was not needed.
The ambulance is now being used to transport food for patients instead of serving its intended medical purpose.
MYH, along with affiliated hospitals such as Cancer Hospital, MTH, and the Mental Hospital, prepares food for patients at MYH.
Previously, food delivery was managed by MYH itself, but the responsibility has since been outsourced to a private institution.
Despite the outsourcing, government drivers, employees, and vehicles, including ambulances, are still being used for food distribution.
The ambulance is replacing a loading rickshaw that previously served this function. Donations of ambulances continue to be made to MYH under CSR activities, but these vehicles are reportedly not used for patient care, except for VIP or emergency duties. One reason cited is a shortage of drivers, as there are not enough to operate the available ambulances. In the past, patients were dropped off within the city limits for a small fee, but this service has been discontinued due to the driver shortage.
Despite the need for ambulances, there has been no recruitment of drivers, even though other staff are hired through outsourcing.
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This situation has led to ambulances being underutilized, while at the same time, a black market for ambulance services has developed, where some individuals charge excessive fees to desperate patients. The hospital could easily arrange for paid ambulance services, but this solution has not been implemented.
"It is our responsibility to send food to the patients in the associated hospitals. We are using the ambulance temporarily as our vehicle has gone for repairing and we cannot stop sending food to the patients in any way. It is a temporary arrangement and will be stopped as soon as we get our vehicle," Dr JK Verma, assistant Superintendent.
