Dumka: A family was forced to carry the body of their deceased relative, Budhni Pahadin, on a cot for over 10 km after being denied ambulance service by Sahibganj Sadar Hospital where she was admitted. Budhni, a member of the Pahadiya community, part of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), had been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition after allegedly consuming pesticide on Monday. She was taken to the hospital by her family in the same cot due to the lack of road connectivity to their remote village.The hospital’s refusal to provide an ambulance for transporting Budhni’s body back home at Lodoni Pahad in Mandro block of the district sparked widespread criticism. A video of the family carrying the body went viral, drawing attention to the issue and prompting public outrage.Political leaders, including the opposition and state BJP president Babulal Marandi, criticised the state health minister, Irfan Ansari, for the incident, calling it an injustice to the PVTG family. Marandi demanded immediate action from the chief minister, Hemant Soren, to review and improve health and ambulance services in the state.In response to the public outcry, Sahibganj civil surgeon Dr Ramdev Paswan visited the family to investigate the matter and promised appropriate action against those responsible for denying the ambulance service. The incident has underscored the urgent need for better healthcare infrastructure and services, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
