Koraput Collector Chairs Meeting on Patient Transport; MLA Emphasizes Rural Healthcare Needs

Koraput | Sep 2, 2025 – A district-level committee meeting on the patient transport system was convened at 9 PM on Monday in the conference hall of the Koraput Collector’s office, with a focus on improving medical emergency response and accessibility across the district’s remote regions.

The meeting was chaired by Koraput Collector Manoj Satyan Mahajan and attended by Koraput MLA Raghuram Machha, Probationary IAS Officer Santosh Kumar Patra, the Medical Superintendent, and other senior departmental officials.
Discussions centered on strengthening the functioning of the existing patient transport services, including 108 and 102 ambulance networks, ensuring availability in rural and hilly areas, and addressing challenges such as delayed response times and shortage of vehicles.

Speaking at the meeting, Collector Mahajan emphasized the administration’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in Koraput: “Timely transport of patients, especially in emergencies, can save lives. Our focus is to ensure that ambulances are well-equipped, accessible even in the most remote villages, and that the system works in coordination with hospitals for immediate treatment,” he said.

Echoing similar concerns, MLA Raghuram Machha highlighted the difficulties faced by villagers in remote areas: “Many people in our tribal pockets struggle to reach hospitals on time due to terrain and poor road connectivity. The government must prioritize patient transport as a lifeline service. Strengthening ambulance facilities and increasing awareness among people about how to access them will go a long way in reducing preventable deaths,” he stated.

The committee decided to review ambulance deployment across blocks, train drivers and health assistants for emergency handling, and set up a monitoring mechanism for quick response. Officials assured that steps would be initiated promptly to improve the efficiency of patient transport in the district.