TNI Bureau: The capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar today has started pre-paid ambulance service for the patients to provide easy and timely accessibility of treatment. Patients or their relatives can hire an ambulance from the special counter that will stay open 24X7.

Charges for places including Puri, Cuttack, different parts of Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas have been displayed prominently. However, the charges seem to be quite high. An ambulance incase of shifting a patient to SCB Medical college will be charged Rs. 1000, while Rs.15 per km will be charged inside Bhubaneswar Municipality Corporation area. The minimum charge for ambulance service is Rs.100. The ambulance will wait for half-an-hour without charging any additional amount.

Notably, the hospital has only three government ambulances in running condition. While just one vehicle is available to patients, mostly to shift those referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, the other two are on standby for exigencies involving VIPs.

The new move by the hospital will definitely eliminate the harassment of patients by the private ambulance drivers who charges more particularly in the odd hours.