A medical officer at a primary health centre in Beed district has been relieved of charge and faces disciplinary action after a family was allegedly asked to pay for diesel while shifting a Class 6 student to another hospital in a government ambulance. The incident came to light after a video of the exchange went viral on social media.
The girl, Seema Solanki, reportedly fainted at around 2.45 pm on September 29. Manohar Katare, principal of the Zilla Parishad primary girls’ school in Dindrud, said he called a local doctor and took her with colleagues to the Dindrud Primary Health Centre in Majalgaon taluka. Seema became stable after treatment at the PHC, but the attending doctor advised that she be shifted to Ambajogai hospital for further care.
The PHC was then under the charge of Medical Officer Dr Nilesh Narayan Dhakne. According to the account reported by The Indian Express and a press note issued by the Zilla Parishad health department, the family was allegedly asked to pay for diesel before the ambulance could take the girl to the referral hospital. When they could not pay, they were allegedly made to get off the vehicle.
The video shows Seema’s father carrying her on his shoulder towards the ambulance. A woman identified as her grandmother is heard pleading about not having money for diesel and having to care for four children. A hospital staff member is then heard making a remark about the family’s ability to provide for the children. The exchange has drawn widespread criticism online.
Seema’s uncle, Mahadev Solanki, told The Indian Express that her father, Keshav Kisan Solanki, works in construction. He said Keshav has two daughters and two sons, while the children’s grandmother has been caring for them since their mother died six years ago.
The Beed district health administration has initiated action against Dr Dhakne. Beed District Health Officer Dr Ulhas Gandal told The Indian Express that the department had found a prima facie case of dereliction of duty. A proposal seeking action under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, has been sent to the Commissioner of Health Services in Mumbai through the Deputy Director of Health Services, Latur Circle.
Dr Dhakne has been relieved of his charge as Medical Officer of the Dindrud PHC and temporarily posted to the DHO office, Gandal said. The action is administrative at this stage and follows the department’s preliminary assessment of the incident.
The fuel-payment explanation is also being examined. Asked whether payments for ambulance operations were pending, Gandal said regular monthly payments were being made, a fuel card had been provided and fuel mapping was in place. The statement indicates that the health department did not identify an officially recorded fuel-supply gap as the reason for the alleged demand.
The case places attention on how emergency referrals are handled at rural primary health centres, where patients often depend on government ambulances to reach larger hospitals. The immediate next step is the consideration of the disciplinary proposal by the Commissioner of Health Services under the applicable Maharashtra service rules.
