GVK EMRI under lens in Chhattisgarh after infant's death inside ambulance

Two days ago, a two-and-half-month-old baby died due to a delay in treatment after the door of the 108 ambulance run by the GVK group owned company allegedly failed to open because of a malfunction.

Last Updated : Jul 19 2018 | 8:39 PM IST

The ambulance services run by GVK EMRI (emergency management and research institute) has come under the scanner after the death of an infant inside the vehicle.

Two days ago, a two-and-half-month-old baby died due to a delay in treatment after the door of the 108 ambulance run by the GVK group owned company allegedly failed to open because of a malfunction. The baby hailing from Gaya district in Bihar had come here for cardiac treatment.

Though the company admitted that the ambulance door could not be opened, it denied lapse on its party. In a statement, company said the child was extricated from the window within 15 minutes after the door of the ambulance got stuck.

The state government had decided to take stringent action against the company for the alleged lapse. On the complaint of Raipur district's Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr K S Shandilya, the Raipur police have booked the chief operating officer (COO) of GVK EMRI, Bikram Singh.

On Thursday, Raipur District Collector O P Chowdhary issued an order to conduct the fitness of all the vehicles operated by the GVK EMRI. The state government had inked an agreement with the company in 2011 for the services.

“Of the 173 ambulances, the condition of 166 is bad,” state Congress President Bhupesh Baghel said. The opposition is trying to grill the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government on the issue of alleged poor health condition in the state.

Baghel said under the agreement, the company has to replace the ambulance once it runs 250,000 kilometers. The health department officials have committed a major lapse by failing to examine the condition of the ambulances.