Kerala Tribal Residents Forced to Carry Patients as Ambulance Remains Abandoned
· India · NDTV
Residents of Edamalakkudy, Kerala's only exclusively tribal Gram Panchayat, are forced to carry sick patients across forests and steep hills due to a non-operational ambulance. The vehicle, donated by Petronet LNG Limited in 2023, has been left abandoned near Adimali in Idukki for at least six months. Panchayat president Binu M stated that repairs are stalled because technical rules require the panchayat to pay the manufacturer directly, a process for which the local body lacks the necessary financial mechanisms. While officials cite procedural hurdles, locals report that the ambulance has been out of service for significantly longer than the month-long delay suggested by the administration. The hamlet, home to the indigenous Muthuvan community, currently lacks basic road infrastructure, making the vehicle a critical lifeline for medical emergencies.
Why it matters
The lack of functional medical transport leaves residents of 26 remote tribal hamlets without emergency access to healthcare, forcing them to navigate hazardous terrain during medical crises.
Read the original report — NDTV
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