Ambulance row: TN health minister Ma Subramanian slams Edappadi K Palaniswami over threat to staff; EMRI issues clarification

CHENNAI: Health minister Ma Subramanian strongly criticised former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for allegedly threatening health department staff and ambulance drivers who were transferring a patient from a government hospital to a higher centre for treatment. “He conducts meetings on arterial routes taken by ambulances. The state has 1,300 ambulances for emergency services with a response time of ten minutes. It is unfair on the part of the former CM to accuse ambulance drivers and health staff,” Subramanian said. Earlier, Palaniswami had accused the government of disturbing his political rallies by sending ambulances. “I warn you, if it happens the next time, the ambulance drivers will become patients and sent to hospital,” he had said.

GVK EMRI, which manages emergency services in Tamil Nadu, clarified that the 108 control room had received a call from Anaicut GH at 9.46 pm for the transfer of a 60-year-old patient suffering from dehydration to Adukamparai GH. The ambulance was delayed at Palaniswami’s meeting around 10.20 pm, and the patient was finally admitted to Adukamparai GH at 11.35 pm. “The ambulance was empty because it was on its way to pick up the patient for inter-facility transfer,” an EMRI official said.