Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 12 March 2025
Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has made an pressing attraction to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Health and Family Welfare Minister, and Minister of Civil Aviation for rapid intervention to handle the extreme healthcare deficiencies and medical evacuation challenges within the islands.
In his letter, Mr. Ray highlighted the essential lack of healthcare infrastructure within the distant Andaman & Nicobar Islands, notably for life-threatening medical circumstances comparable to mind hemorrhage, strokes, extreme head accidents, and spinal fractures. He famous that GB Pant Hospital, the only real medical facility within the islands, incessantly refers sufferers to mainland hospitals in Chennai, Kolkata, Vizag, and Delhi as a result of unavailability of neurosurgeons and different important specialists.
Despite these challenges, authorities help for emergency medical evacuations stays insufficient. Under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme (PM-JAY), solely the airfare for a affected person and one attendant is roofed upon the advice of a referring physician. Families are left to bear the exorbitant value of Rs. 3 to 4 lakh for air stretcher evacuations. Furthermore, accessing air stretcher providers is hindered by the reluctance of airways, together with Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, to accommodate emergency medical transport on Sri Vijaya Puram-mainland routes.
Mr. Ray additionally identified that airline delays in confirming stretcher bookings—typically as much as 10 days—together with unreasonable circumstances comparable to requiring reserving confirmations inside 20 minutes and unpredictable pricing, have led to preventable deaths. He criticized the Andaman & Nicobar Administration for failing to take proactive measures over the previous 5 years, regardless of repeated appeals from islanders. He additionally held the Lt. Governor accountable for the shortage of enhancements within the healthcare sector.
Given the urgency of the state of affairs, Mr. Ray has proposed a number of rapid measures:
1 Urgent Meeting with Airlines: Direct all airways working on Sri Vijaya Puram-mainland routes to prioritize emergency stretcher requests, forestall delays or denials, and set up a standardized minimal charge for stretcher sufferers and air ambulance providers.
2 Prioritization of Medical Emergencies: Ensure airways give priority to critically in poor health sufferers over common passengers, emphasizing that refusal of air stretcher providers is an moral and public well being concern.
3 Financial Assistance Scheme: Implement a completely government-funded monetary support program for stretcher sufferers and air ambulance providers, because the Ayushman Bharat Scheme doesn’t cowl these emergency bills.
4 Appointment of a Nodal Officer: Designate an official inside the A&N Administration to coordinate between airways and facilitate the rapid switch of essential sufferers from Sri Vijaya Puram to the mainland.
Mr. Ray urged the Prime Minister and different involved Union Ministers to behave swiftly to stop additional lack of harmless lives. The attraction underscores the urgent want for systemic reforms within the area’s healthcare and medical evacuation framework.
