Maharashtra: Patient suffering heart attack forced to share ambulance, sit in front seat

NAGPUR: Rajiv Ratan Central Hospital of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) allegedly sent a heart patient with complaint of stroke and breathlessness, who was also in a state of panic, in the front seat of an ambulance next to the driver, for treatment around 23km away. In the same ambulance, another patient and her six or more relatives were in the patient’s cabin. The hospital did not send any nurse or doctor.

Babita Arelli, wife of a WCL employee, complained of severe chest, neck pains and cardiac arrest on October 28. Dilip Pittalwar, a family friend, told TOI, “Doctors performed ECG and said she required further diagnosis and treatment in a private hospital at Chandrapur. She was given medicines and saline. An ambulance was readied for her. ”

The doctors then decided to also send an elderly patientin the same ambulance. There was only one bed inside. Pittalwar said he requested them to send separate ambulances. “There were two ambulances at that time in the hospital. But Dr D Shambharkar suggested hiring a private ambulance. ”
Dr Shambharkar said all the claims were wrong. WCL area medical officer Dr DC Anand claimed Babita was not a cardiac patient, and that only one ambulance was available at the time. “Patient refused to sit with other patient, and willingly sat in front cabin,” Dr Anand said.

However, the referral letter for Babita issued by the hospital mentioned ‘ischemic heart disease’ in diagnosis column, and for reason for referral, it mentioned, “Chest pain, neck pain, ECG-ST changes and all leads, TMT positive so referred to higher centre. ”

After going through WCL’s referral letter, Dr Nitin Shinde, consultant internal medicine and infectious diseases, said, “As per doctors’ diagnosis, she might have had anacute heart attack and needed to be sent in cardiac ambulance in sleeping position along with paramedics and equipment for basic life support. ”
Meanwhile, an ambulance service provider said this was against norms, adding “The front seat is meant for helper or technician. Even, doctors and nurses are not allowed to sit here. ”