Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 03 February 2025
Any discomfort in the human body—be it a simple fever, a persistent cough, or even a minor injury—can be distressing. Now, imagine the agony of an 82-year-old diabetic heart patient, who had just undergone a blood transfusion and urgently needed specialized medical care, being forced to endure a grueling 10-hour speed boat journey with no proper place to rest. This is not a hypothetical scenario. This is exactly what Mr. Birendra Kishore Talukdar went through.
His daughter, Priyanka Talukdar, brought this alarming ordeal to light through an email to the higher authorities of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. Later, she took to the popular Facebook group ‘Digital Andaman’ to share the harrowing experience her father is going through, sparking outrage among islanders who have long faced similar hardships.
According to Priyanka, her father was admitted to CHC Diglipur on 1st February 2025, where he underwent an emergency blood transfusion and multiple tests. His health remained fragile, and doctors at CHC Diglipur referred him to GB Pant Hospital in Sri Vijaya Puram for further care and specialized treatment. Given his state, the family requested that he be transported by helicopter. However, their request was denied on the grounds that labor patients are given priority for Helicopter Travel. Instead, they were assured that a bed and medical staff would be available on a ship.
In a cruel turn of events, no suitable ship was available. As a result, Mr. Talukdar was forced to travel on M.V. Hutbay, a vessel equipped only with seats and chairs—entirely inadequate for a critically ill, elderly patient. Priyanka shares that her father is resting on the hard floor near the seats, with his mother’s saree serving as a makeshift sheet. The ten-hour journey would subject him to immense physical discomfort.
Speaking to Nicobar Times, Priyanka Talukdar and her husband expressed their deep anguish. They confirmed that Mr. Talukdar would reach Sri Vijaya Puram on the morning of 3rd February, having suffered unimaginable discomfort throughout the journey.
Priyanka has since demanded immediate action from the authorities:
- A formal explanation for why her father, despite his critical condition, was denied proper and comfortable transportation to Sri Vijaya Puram.
- Accountability and strict action against those responsible for this negligence.
- A firm commitment from the Directorate of Health Services to ensure no other patient is subjected to such hardship in the future.
This is not just about one patient; it is about an entire population that continues to suffer due to inadequate patient transport facilities. While the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has facilitated emergency transfers even at utterly odd hours with the help of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, glaring gaps remain. Patients in need of urgent medical care should not have to fight for a dignified transfer.
Medical referrals should not be dictated by logistical convenience. The system must prioritize the well-being of patients over bureaucratic policies. The choice of transport should not be at the discretion of officials; rather, if a patient requests helicopter evacuation, it should be provided without hesitation. If additional helicopter sorties, diversions, or any other arrangements are required, they should be facilitated.
Islanders living in remote areas do not have access to specialized healthcare, making it the Administration’s responsibility to ensure that patients receive comfortable transportation to the only tertiary care hospital in the region.
The fundamental question remains: should patients and their families have to beg for dignified medical transport in times of crisis? The authorities must act now to prevent such distressing experiences from happening again.