RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday took suo-moto cognizance of the incident in the state last week when a tribal man set off for home carrying his ailing wife after not getting an ambulance.
This comes after the incident was reported in newspapers including The New Indian Express, with the court asking the state government to file an affidavit in this regard.
Advocate Piyush Chitresh, appearing on behalf of the state government, said that the matter will be heard next on October 13.
The incident took place at the Dhalbhumgarh Community Health Center (CHC). Shukulmani Sabar had gone for treatment to CHC Dhalbhumgarh on Friday, but was referred to MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur for better treatment by doctors on Saturday.
However, neither a 108 ambulance was available on time, nor any alternative arrangements were made. Consequently, the man left for home carrying his wife on his shoulders.
After the incident was brought to the notice of health officials, an ambulance was dispatched from CHC Dhalbhumgarh, and the couple was brought back to the hospital from Dhalbhugarh Chowk. But, according to officials, they refused to go to MGM, Jamshedpur and were sent to home by an ambulance.
According to eyewitnesses, when Shukulmani could not walk to a distance from the hospital, her husband, Gura Sabar, carried her on his shoulders. Holding her with one hand and her bag with the other, he kept on walking on the road heading towards their village Mudathakura in Gudabandha.
On the way, a mobile shop owner who saw their plight arranged an auto to take the couple to Dhalbhumgarh Chowk.
When Shukulmani was admitted to the Community Health Center on Friday, her hemoglobin was reportedly 7.5 g/dL and she complained of blood in her sputum. Gura Sabar said that his wife had been suffering from fever and diarrhea for two to three weeks. Unable to find a vehicle and unable to find a place at the hospital, they left on foot without informing anyone.
Medical officials, however, said that after being referred to MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur, the couple did not wait for the ambulance to come or even an auto and left for home on foot as they did not want to go to any other place.