Jamshedpur: The ambulance system in East Singhbhum is facing severe inefficiencies, with more than half of the fleet of government ambulances lying idle due to poor maintenance. There are 21 ambulances in the district, serving a population of around 24 lakh. However, 11 of these ambulances (52%) have been left to rust as they have not been properly maintained. The ambulances that are still in working condition also suffer from a lack of permanent drivers and technical staff, further hampering their availability.
The district, which includes key healthcare facilities such as MGM Medical College, Sadar District Hospital, and numerous community and primary health centres, is struggling with an inadequate ambulance service. Of the 21 government ambulances, only 10 are functional, but none of them have a full-time driver. Seven of the drivers are hired on a contract basis. At MGM Hospital, which houses six ambulances, three are non-operational.
The private ambulance operators are capitalizing on the inefficiency of the public system, charging passengers up to 50 rupees per kilometer, which is on par with luxury car services. In contrast, the fare for government ambulances is only seven rupees per kilometre.
The maintenance issues are deep-rooted. A report on repairs for the district’s ambulances revealed that nearly Rs 2.47 crore was spent to fix ten vehicles, averaging Rs 24,700 per ambulance. Despite this, many vehicles, including a high-cost cardiac ambulance worth Rs 1.6 crore at MGM Hospital, are rendered useless. The cardiac ambulance has been left to deteriorate, with critical equipment like the ventilator missing and the vehicle lying abandoned in the parking lot.
Dr. Shikha Rani, Superintendent at MGM Hospital, stated, “Many ambulances were out of order before I took charge. We are currently assessing how much it will cost to repair the fleet, and I have sought permission from the department to proceed with repairs.” Meanwhile, Dr. Sahir Pal, Civil Surgeon of East Singhbhum, assured that efforts were being made to repair faulty ambulances. “Instructions have already been given to repair the non-functional ambulances, and we expect them to be operational within two days,” he added.
The situation reflects a larger issue within the district’s healthcare infrastructure, where lack of maintenance and staff shortages have crippled essential services, leaving the public at the mercy of expensive private ambulance operators.
