Home / Disasters and Accidents / Ambulance Mishap: Elderly Man Falls, Authority Denies Responsibility
Ambulance Mishap: Elderly Man Falls, Authority Denies Responsibility
7 Apr
Summary
- Patient fell off stretcher due to driver mishandling.
- No authority claims responsibility for private ambulance incident.
- CCTV footage captured the shocking mishandling of the patient.
An 83-year-old patient sustained injuries after an alarming fall from a stretcher, reportedly due to a private ambulance driver's mishandling on March 28. The incident occurred en route to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 (GMCH-32). CCTV footage clearly shows the driver's alleged carelessness leading to the patient's fall and subsequent unconsciousness. This event has exposed a significant gap in oversight for private emergency medical transport services.
Despite the family's complaint and the ambulance being facilitated by GMCH-32, the UT health department has stated it holds no jurisdiction over the private driver. Officials emphasized that the driver was not employed by the government, whose own fleet undergoes regular training. The family's complaint details the driver's alleged inability to assist in patient transfer and improper handling of the fractured limb, along with verbal abuse.
The complaint urges an investigation into the driver's qualifications and calls for measures to prevent similar incidents. However, accountability remains unclear, with a grey area existing between hospitals facilitating private services and the lack of enforcement on private operators' conduct. The city's limited public ambulance infrastructure often forces reliance on private services, leaving patients vulnerable.
