No bridge, bring boat. This old saying encapsulates both the challenge and the solution for over 20,000 residents of 138 villages in Odisha's Koraput district, separated from the district headquarters town by the Kolab reservoir.
For decades, they have grappled with commuting across the mass of water that forms the Kolab reservoir. With only a narrow pathway along an ageing railway bridge or a daunting 100km journey via Nandapur to reach the district headquarters, medical emergencies were harrowing odysseys for the over 20,000 residents of 138 villages in Koraput district of Odisha.
But amidst the shadows of despair, hope emerges — a boat ambulance service, launched in December 2020. It bridges the gap between isolation and access to medical care for residents in over 40 villages spanning Kumar Gandhana, Tikarpada, Umbel and Banamaliput panchayats within the Kolab cut-off area. Operated by Ziqitza Healthcare in partnership with the Odisha government’s 102 Service, this Rs 38 lakh initiative links seven ghats along the reservoir, ferrying patients to health centres with newfound ease.
However, technical hiccups initially marred the boat’s voyage. Months of painstaking checks and fixes followed, until finally, the vessel navigated the waters.
“The doorstep boat ambulance service alleviates the longstanding woes of the villagers,” said Kahnu Charan Prata, the chief district medical officer of Koraput.
For Sunita, a mother in Tikarpoda village, the boat ambulance signifies a reprieve from the dread of her child falling ill. For elderly fisherman Gopal, it offers solace in knowing that a fall does not spell a solitary demise.
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“Last month, my wife faced serious labour pains at night,” said Raghu Gadaba from Umbel village, recalling that he immediately called the 102 toll-free number for help. “The boat ambulance reached the ghat of Umbel. They (the medical team) took care of my wife, and she delivered a baby girl at 2.30 am. If the boat had not been around, we would have been compelled to travel over 100km by road, instead of 4km via water,” he added.
The boat can accommodate 5-6 general patients on each trip. However, it transports only one pregnant woman at a time to allow for focused care on the expectant mother while efficiently ferrying multiple patients in need of medical attention. The staff on the ambulance comprises Subas Khora, who works as a paramedic; boatman Ranjan Ku Nayak; Gandharba Raout, the block project manager; and driver Saranga Pratap Sethi.
“Once a call is received on the helpline number, the boat reaches the destination in 10 to 20 minutes,” Nayak said.
The boat ambulance service is a free initiative of the Odisha government. However, the project hasn’t been without hiccups. Despite the state government’s expenditure of Rs. 5.4 crore on six boat ambulances launched in 2020, only the one in Koraput district is operational, with the others sitting idle.
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The lead image at the top shows the boat ambulance that provides access to medical care for residents of over 40 villages located in the Kolab cut-off area. (Photo by Shreekant Sahoo)
Shreekanta Sahoo is a senior journalist with a decade of dedicated experience in the ever-evolving field of media.
