Sindhuligadi, March 18

Locals have misused an ambulance belonging to Sirthauli Health Centre of Dudhauli Municipality in Sindhuli as if it were a public vehicle.

They paid Rs 5,000 and took the ambulance to Sindhulimadi to get their work done in different offices. They used it to register their lands and to receive government grant amount offered to quake victims. “The ambulance was called and I went to pick up the patient, but they took me to another place instead of the hospital,” said ambulance driver Bimal Magar.

The ambulance driver got confused as to why the patients were getting off at government offices rather than at the hospital. The ambulance came from Sirthauli and was parked in front of the district revenue office. As many as seven people were traveling in the ambulance. Some went to the revenue office while others went to the bank.

Meanwhile, Dr Sumitra Gautam of District Hospital said that she was unaware about the ambulance being misused. “Investigation into the case will be carried out,” she added. She said that she would take a detailed report about the misuse and take stern action against those involved.

“An ambulance should always be kept on standby in the concerned office rather than being used for some other purposes,” Gautam said.

She asked who would be responsible if the patients did not get the ambulance on time.