108 ambulance driver caught sleeping drunk on duty, pregnant woman left stranded in Gajapati

Bhubaneswar, Aug 8: In a shocking display of negligence, a 108 ambulance driver was found sleeping on duty while transporting a pregnant woman in critical condition to the hospital in R. Udaygiri block of Odisha’s Gajapati district. The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the functioning and accountability of emergency healthcare services.

The pregnant woman, identified as Nandini Raita from Kanikipadar village, had initially been admitted to Chandragiri Hospital after experiencing labour pain. As her condition worsened, doctors referred her to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for advanced care.

An ambulance was arranged for the transfer, but midway through the journey, the driver reportedly fell asleep behind the wheel, allegedly under the influence of alcohol. The ambulance came to a halt, leaving Nandini and her family stranded in a remote area during the critical transfer. Despite repeated attempts, the driver could not be awakened.

With time running out, Nandini’s family members were forced to arrange another vehicle on their own to continue the journey to the hospital.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from locals and health activists, who are demanding strict action against the driver and stronger monitoring of emergency service staff to prevent such dangerous lapses.