A patient being transferred from Pimpri’s civic-run Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital to Sassoon Hospital in Pune fell onto the road after the rear door of a moving ambulance opened, prompting the hospital administration to direct its private contractor to act against two employees.
The incident occurred on Saturday while the ambulance was transporting a homeless man who had been admitted to YCMH by the police. The patient had developed sepsis in his feet and was unable to walk. Since YCMH does not have a septic operation theatre facility, hospital authorities decided to transfer him to the government-run Sassoon Hospital.
YCMH Dean Dr Rajendra Wable confirmed the incident to The Indian Express and said the hospital had issued notices to BVG, the private contractor responsible for the ambulance service. He said the patient was unharmed after the stretcher slid out of the vehicle.
According to Dr Wable, the stretcher was not properly secured and the ambulance door was not shut tightly. As the vehicle left the hospital, its rear door opened and the stretcher carrying the patient slid onto the road. A video of the incident shows bystanders moving the patient and stretcher to the side of the road. The ambulance returned to the spot a few seconds later.
The dean said the accompanying employee was required to remain in the rear compartment with the patient during the transfer. Instead, the employee sat beside the driver. Dr Wable said the patient had maggots on his feet and that the staff member may have moved away because of the stench, but described the decision as an operational lapse.
“The employee is guilty of failing to ensure that the stretcher was properly locked. The driver was negligent in ensuring that the door of the ambulance was properly shut,” Dr Wable said.
The hospital has directed the private contractor to take action against both employees. The administration has also issued strict instructions to personnel concerned after the incident, with the stated aim of preventing a similar lapse during future patient transfers.
The episode has brought attention to the safety checks required during ambulance transfers, including securing stretchers, fastening vehicle doors and ensuring that accompanying staff remain with patients in the rear compartment. In this case, the transfer was arranged because the civic hospital lacked the specialised operating theatre facility required for the patient’s treatment.
The next formal action is expected from BVG, following the notices issued by YCMH. The hospital’s directives to ambulance personnel will remain the immediate operational response to the incident.
