Ambulance driver in Andhra suspended for leaving COVID patient's body on road

A driver of a government ambulance was suspended for leaving a COVID patient's body in the outskirts of a village in the Krishna district on Tuesday. According to the state health department, the deceased's wife requested the ambulance staff to drop the body at their village outskirts due to their financial status.

The deceased identified as Shaik Subhani (40) was a resident of Munukulla village in Tiruvuru Mandal of Krishna district, who had been suffering from fever for two days. On Tuesday morning, he went to Rajugudem Government Hospital for a COVID test and was detected positive. After his condition became critical, Subhani was shifted to a hospital in Tiruvuru in an ambulance for better treatment. Reaching Tiruvuru, the doctors declared him brought dead.

Following this, Subhani's wife decided to take the body back to the village. The ambulance driver left the body on the outskirts of the village and the body was there on the road for some time. The police came to know the matter and made arrangements for the final rites. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Health Department issued a clarification in this regard. "On Tuesday, May 11, 2021, a call was received from Subhani, 40 years Male, from Rajugudem Government Hospital, Krishna district requesting 108 to shift him to CHC Tiruvuru. Since the unavailability of oxygen beds in CHC Tiruvuru, the patient was taken to Amaravathi Hospital, Tiruvuru. At 11.28 am, the ambulance reached the hospital and the doctors declared the patient was brought dead," read the statement.

"Even after the counseling, the patient's (expired) wife requested ambulance staff to drop the deceased at the roadside place. Due to their emotional condition, ambulance staff dropped them on their request. The patient's relatives have given a letter as a written consent that the deceased is dropped at the location based on their request, and agreed that there is no mistake of 108 staff," the state health department said. However, the health department believes the ambulance staff should have dropped the deceased in any nearest public health facility to follow further procedures.

"Considering this as a mistake on behalf of the ambulance staff, it is recommended to suspend them with immediate effect," the statement added.