The ambulance, which Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal had inaugurated for the kidney patients in Supebeda village of Devbhog a year ago, has been returned. The reasons behind this decision are now public knowledge.
The ambulance service was provided by a firm from Raipur, without a valid contract, budget allocation, or designated funds. The contract was set at ₹1.5 lakh per month for 2000 km. Extra charges were incurred for exceeding this limit. The ₹14 lakh ambulance ended up costing ₹15 lakh over 12 months. A payment of ₹10 lakh was made from the central NHM fund without adhering to proper legal procedures. After a change in the CMHO, the ambulance was returned. The expenditures related to the ambulance are under scrutiny, with calls for a comprehensive investigation.
Kidney patients in Supebeda have also responded to the news. They wish for the reinstatement of free blood tests and kidney disease medications, which were previously provided, instead of the ambulance service, as they now must purchase these services.
