Odisha: Sick man dies as ambulance staff refuse to carry him to hospital fearing him to be COVID-19 positive  

Berhampur: In a shocking incident, a man reportedly died after the staff of a 108 ambulance refused to carry him to the hospital suspecting him to be COVID-19 positive in Berhampur of Ganjam district this morning.

According to reports, family members of one Manoj Kumar Praharaj, a resident of Prahlad Nagar in Berhampur, called for the emergency services after his health condition deteriorated. A 108 ambulance reached the spot but its staff refused to carry him to the hospital after learning that Manoj was suffering from fever for the last several days.

Manoj’s minor son along with the neighbours was seen pleading the staff of the ambulance; however, they did not mind his words by giving excuse that his father was a Coroana positive patient.

After the ambulance returned back, the family members arranged an auto-rickshaw to take Manoj to the hospital. Unfortunately, he breathed his last on the veranda of the house while being taken to the vehicle.

Manoj’s family members, meanwhile, held the ambulance staff responsible for his death. “A 108 ambulance came after we called but they did not take my father to the hospital saying that he was a COVID patient. The staff of the hospital said that another vehicle (104) will come and take him to the hospital. After the vehicle left we arranged an auto-rickshaw to take him to the hospital as my father’s condition was very critical. however, he breathed his last before boarding the vehicle,” said Manosh Praharaj.

Likewise, the incident also has not gone down well among the locals who demanded action against the staff of the ambulance staff.