Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 08 August 2024
The discontinuation of free air travel for patients from remote islands to Port Blair is causing significant hardship for the local population, particularly those in urgent need of medical care. This change has placed an immense burden on islanders and non-islanders alike, especially those from low-income backgrounds who struggle to afford the steep helicopter fares required for medical travel.
The situation is especially dire for residents of the Nicobar Group of Islands, where the cost of helicopter travel is the highest due to the vast distances involved. For instance, the fare from Great Nicobar or Nancowry to Port Blair is prohibitively expensive, leaving many in these remote areas with limited options for timely medical intervention.
Previously, the administration covered the full cost of air travel for patients referred to Port Blair by a doctor, along with one attendant. This critical service allowed patients in need of emergency surgeries or specialized care to reach Port Blair without incurring any costs. Over time, however, the administration gradually reduced this support, first limiting free travel to patients alone and requiring attendants to pay their own way. Eventually, free air travel was restricted to tribal patients only, and then, even that provision has been entirely withdrawn.
The helicopter fare from Campbell Bay to Port Blair currently stands at Rs. 5,350 for islanders and a staggering Rs. 13,400 for non-islanders. Similarly, the fare from Kamorta to Port Blair is Rs. 4,350 for islanders and Rs. 10,800 for non-islanders. These costs are far beyond the reach of many families, especially those from lower-income groups. As a result, patients often delay essential travel to Port Blair, despite doctors’ recommendations, simply because they cannot afford the fare.
The termination of this once-lifesaving service has sparked widespread outrage among the public and political leaders alike, who have repeatedly called for the reinstatement of free air travel for referred patients. Their pleas, however, have so far been ignored by the authorities.
For the people of these remote islands, air travel is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Specialised medical care is unavailable in these regions, leaving patients with no choice but to travel to Port Blair for surgeries and advanced treatments. The administration’s decision to end this vital service has left many residents in a precarious position, unable to access the care they desperately need.
While the administration deserves credit for facilitating emergency evacuations when regular air travel is unavailable, its decision to withdraw free travel for patients from remote islands has drawn sharp criticism. The suffering endured by these families is difficult to quantify, but it is a stark reality that continues to worsen as the policy remains in place.