Unused ALS Ambulance in Hazaribag: Rs 46 Lakh Medical Equipment Rotting

Hazaribag: A state-of-the-art advanced life support (ALS) ambulance, which was bought in 2020 for Rs 46 lakh, gathers dust on the campus of Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH).The ALS ambulance, purchased with funds from the district mineral fund trust (DMFT), was supposed to provide emergency care to cardiac patients. However, the vehicle was found parked outside the trauma centre, exposed to dust and weather, and on the verge of turning into scrap.Despite being fitted with a portable ventilator, cardiac monitor and defibrillator, syringe infusion pump, oxygen supply system, suction unit and emergency drug storage, the ambulance has never been used. Such ambulances play a crucial role in reducing mortality by providing immediate pre-hospital care and continuous monitoring during patient transfer to higher medical centres.The matter came to light after an aide of Hazaribag MP Manish Jaiswal noticed the vehicle gathering dust on Saturday. Ranjan Choudhary, Jaiswal’s representative, then met SBMCH superintendent Dr Anukaran Purti over the issue.Purti said he directed the ambulance in charge and the driver to ensure immediate cleaning, maintenance and readiness of the cardiac ambulance. “I have also instructed that the ambulance be deployed for emergency cardiac and critical cases without delay. The management of wards, including the orthopaedic department, will also be improved,” he said.A doctor with the SBMCH admitted that functional cardiac ambulances were vital in districts like Hazaribag, where patients often need to be referred to Ranchi or other advanced centres. The delay in transport without life support can prove fatal in cardiac emergencies, the doctor added.