VIJAYAWADA: Two Covid-19 patients have allegedly died after their ambulances were denied entry at Pullur Toll Plaza on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border in Kurnool district on Friday morning.
The patients, who were reportedly in a serious condition, were being taken to Hyderabad when they were stopped by Telangana police stating they have no permission.
One of the patients is from Nandyal in the Kurnool district while the other was reported to be from Kadapa. Delay in getting treatment has resulted in their deaths.
Close to 20 ambulances, on the way to Hyderabad, were stopped for hours at the toll plaza. Despite pleas from desperate family members, the Telangana cops did not allow the ambulances to enter the state.
“We are taking my husband to Hyderabad for emergency treatment. He is on a ventilator and needs urgent medical attention. Please save him. I have been requesting them to allow us, but they (Telangana police) are not allowing,” said a woman, pleading the media. The ambulance carrying this patient has been waiting at the toll plaza since 5 in the morning. Her family members say they have a bed allotted in a private hospital in Hyderabad, but police are not listening.
Despite the Telangana State High Court's directions not to stop ambulances at the border, Telangana police have once again started stopping them at inter-state borders from Friday morning and are not allowing entry even after the families are showing them the bed confirmation letters from hospitals in Hyderabad.
Veera Reddy S, who was taking his father to Hyderabad for treatment tweeted to Telangana Minister KT Ramarao to help, as his father’s ambulance was stopped. “My father (with Covid symptoms) is waiting at the Telangana border toll gate and we have a reserved bed in Hyderabad hospital. Control room person says that no officer is available to review the request and confirm the entry. Please help me to enter Hyderabad,” he tweeted and attached a copy of the letter from the hospital.
Similar incidents were witnessed at Ramapuram crossroad at AP-TS interstate border in Krishna district where several ambulances were stopped.
Kurnool MLA Hafeez Khan rushed to Pullur toll plaza and requested Telangana police to allow the ambulances, but there was no reaction on the other side. Several ambulances had to return, as the condition of the patients was turning serious.