Prathipadu Woman Died As Ambulance Carrying Her Broke Down Midway

DJ Puram, East Godavari District: Today, my padayatra in Prathipudi constituency passed through Parupaka Cross and DJ Puram villages. There is no bus service and even a private vehicle transport to the remote village DJ Puram. Even the communication is not that great. There is no ambulance facility too. If there is a medical emergency, people must just give up all hopes. Looking at this, I am surprised how backward these regions are!

The 108 emergency service staff of Prathipadu and Tuni constituencies met me in the afternoon and told me about the plight of these services. They narrated a tragic incident that happened yesterday. A woman was seriously ill and her relatives called 108 ambulance. Since there was no ambulance in Prathipadu constituency, an ambulance from Tuni was asked to attend. The ambulance finally reached and while shifting the woman to hospital, the vehicle broke down. They called for another ambulance which reached late and the woman died before it could reach the hospital. This is the state of affairs in AP. This government is not considering the poor as human beings.

Who should be held responsible for the death of that woman? Is it not the government which had neglected 108 ambulance services? This constituency has four mandals and Rauthulapudi mandal never had an ambulance till date. The 108 ambulance at Prathipadu is not in working condition since eight months. The vehicle of Yeleshwaram is at the workshop for the last 10 days. Same is the status of the vehicle in other places across the state. Only few vehicles are in use and those too are not well equipped. Even basic things like oxygen or emergency medicine are missing. The negligence of 108 ambulance services is a criminal offence by the government.

Today is World Tribal Day. I was moved by the gesture of the tribal community from Rampachodavaram, who gifted me their traditional attire. They told me about the government’s negligence towards agency areas. Lack of nutritional food and viral fever have killed thousands in these regions over the last four and half years. Despite all these tragedies, Chandrababu seems to be least bothered. But when the elections are approaching, he will start showing love towards them and make promises which will never be fulfilled. Chandrababu’s only intention is to stay in power for another five years.

I have a question for the chief minister–Why doesn’t have ministry have any tribal representation? Do you agree that tribal communities in our state are malnourished in the entire country? Do you agree that due to lack of nutritious food our state has the highest number of pregnancy related deaths among the tribal communities? Is it not true that your government has failed to provide nutritional food to one lakh tribal students? You have shut down 197 ST hostels in the state; did you replace them with at least one gurukul? You had made 25 promises in your manifesto, have you fulfilled at least one of them?

Also Read: Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 101: Farmers Feel Betrayed By Chandrababu