District admin rolls out 'Palki ambulance' for remote Buxa
kolkata: The transportation of emergency patients and needy pregnant women hailing from the remote and inaccessible high terrains of Buxa in Alipurduar district—which was an impossible proposition—has now become a reality with the district administration rolling out "Palki Ambulance" service.
"Buxa Dooars, located on mountain plateau near Indo-Bhutan International border of Kalchini Block in Alipurduar District is inaccessible and hard to reach. So, we have started the 'Palki Ambulance' service which will help the emergency patients and pregnant women to reach up to Zero Point from where the car ambulance provided by the state Health department will transport the emergency patients and pregnant mothers to a government hospital," Surendra Kumar Meena, district magistrate (DM) Alipurduar said. The service, which will be available for free, was inaugurated on Wednesday by the DM. It is being provided with assistance from the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI).
The residents of eleven villages, situated in the northern part of Alipurduar, which is on the Indo-Bhutan international border, simply covered by extreme and deep forest, will be benefitted by this service. Previously, there was no institutional delivery system in this area. The "Palki Ambulance" is specially designed with informative materials on protection of girl child, institutional delivery and other SRH (sexual and reproductive Health and Research) issues. Around 2082 residents (1098 male and 984 females) of Buxa Duar will be benefitted through a safe journey towards hospital, courtesy the Palki Ambulance.
Previously, during trekking, the pregnant mothers were carried by being hung on the bamboo with the help of cloth. But in the "Palki ambulance," there is comfortable space for pregnant mothers with supportive commodities.
The state Health department with the help of FPAI has started providing all regular and routine healthcare services in these villages, which are inaccessible and hardly have connections with the mainland through any motorable road.
