Mushrooming growth of private Ambulances

24/06/2018

A well-knit nexus of some reputed private hospitals from outside the State and local agents here, is operating in GMC&H, which is fleecing patients and their attendants for shifting their cases outside, while in violation of the orders of Transport Commissioner J&K, many private Ambulances are operating illegally without obtaining NOC from the Director Health Services. A mafia, being run by some middlemen/ agents of some reputed as well as other private hospitals, is apparently controlling the affairs of transportation of even local patients, as Govt hospital ambulances or their drivers are hardly available at the time of need. This has happened due to mushrooming growth of private Ambulances during last few years with no proper control of the State Transport authorities and the J&K Health Services. With this misuse of ambulances has increased in this militancy infested State. Private players in Health sector are managing registration of Ambulances without seeking necessary NOC from the concerned Directorate of Health and the Transport department is allowing their operation after registration, setting side the standing orders of Transport Commissioner.
Not only this, 'some insiders' in the GMC&H are getting their commission for just helping, shifting of patients just to provide good business to the private Ambulances and hospitals outside the State. When a case reaches Emergency of the GMC &H, some agents/ touts start following them and discourage the attendants, forcing them to shift patient outside the State in private hospitals.
Even some reputed hospitals from Amritsar, Jallandhar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh have engaged their men just to fleece the patients and manage good business. There is urgent need to create Vigilance wing by the GMC Hospital Administration to discourage such activities of outsiders in this major Govt Hospital of Jammu division. Transport Commissioner J&K, vide his order No. 57-MVD of 2016 dated 24-06-2016, imposed some restrictions to curb the misuse of Ambulances and un-regulated sale of such vehicles (Ambulance) in the State. More than 20 Govt Ambulances are available with Govt Medical College Hospital Jammu but hardly 14 are operational. They are mainly allowed to use within the Municipal limit. Even Hospital staff encourages private operation on the plea of good facility with them. It has been often seen that mostly these vehicles are used for ferrying own staff and movement of equipment. A Critical Care Ambulances was made available to GMC Hospital during 2012, but it remained unused for more than 5 years. Hardly three weeks back it was made operational and it is allowed only for VIP patients. The private CC Ambulances charge money ranging from Rs 30,000 to 35,000 for shifting serious patients to Ludhiana, Chandigarh or Amritsar but if the Govt CC Ambulance is allowed to operate for all, the poor and lower middle class people will have big relief because they have to pay even less then Rs 10,000 for it.

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