Bengaluru Faces Dearth Of Ambulances Amid Pandemic, Only 7 Assigned To COVID-19 Patients

Amid rising cases of COVID-19 in Bengaluru in the past few weeks, there's another, nightmare haunting residents.

Out of 73 ambulances in the city, merely 7 have been assigned to ferry COVID-19 patients, making people run from pillar to post to avail the emergency facility.

TOI

According to a Times of India report, Bengaluru has been reporting at least 100 cases on a daily basis over the past week. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials said the shortage of vehicles is a logistical flaw, and is also contributing to the spread of the virus.

"Some people are being tested positive at private health facilities but due to a shortage of ambulances, they could not be taken to hospitals immediately. So, the patients end up going back to the home where they risk infecting other family members,¡± a BBMP official was quoted as saying.

Only seven of the 108 services in Bengaluru are assigned to coronavirus patients and the city is grappling with a new wave, with 866 people testing positive for the novel coronavirus, in the past week.

Image for representation/Reuters

Time is a huge factor for those involved in emergency services. A driver who works with the 108 services told TOI that it takes at least three hours to shift a positive patient from an isolation centre. That apart, about two hours are spent in disinfecting the vehicle after having a COVID-19 patient onboard.

Also Read: Pregnant Woman With Suspected COVID-19 Symptoms Turned Away By 8 Hospitals, Dies In Ambulance

In situations like this, many patients who are already sick are forced to find their way back home, on their own.

A COVID-19-positive patient was forced to go back home from a private health facility and made to wait for nearly 18 hours before he was taken to hospital. "After testing positive, my uncle had to wait for three days at home for an ambulance. When I contacted the driver, he told me that he first needs to confirm about bed availability," said Vasudev, a resident of Basavangudi.

BBMP Commissioner/Facebook

"We have received hundreds of complaints about the shortage of ambulances. Many people have contacted me saying they are afflicted with coronavirus and needed to be shifted to COVID-19 designated hospital. It is regrettable that private hospitals are not cooperating and lending their ambulances," said Goutham Kumar, BBMP mayor.

Another TOI report exposes the lack of coordination between agencies that have stymied the COVID-19 fight. The report states that earlier it was BBMP that would coordinate with private hospitals and rush patients to facilities. But now, patients are having to call BBMP and beseech hospitals to admit them.

Also Read: Re-impose Covid-19 Lockdown In Bengaluru For 20 Days Or It'll Become Another Brazil Warns Ex-CM