Thane – A 37-year-old woman, Savita Govind Virajdar, tragically lost her life at Rukhmani Bai Hospital in Kalyan on Monday after allegedly waiting four hours for an ambulance. Savita, a widow from the Kolsewadi area of Vithalwadi, is survived by her two children.
She was brought to Rukhmani Bai Hospital around 12 PM with symptoms of hand weakness, suspected to be due to a stroke. Doctors referred her to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa for specialized neurological treatment.
However, her transfer was severely delayed, with family members claiming no ambulance arrived for nearly four hours, despite repeated requests. During the wait, Savita’s condition deteriorated. Though she was eventually shifted to an ambulance, she had to be brought back to Rukhmani Bai Hospital, where she died during treatment.
Dr. Deepa Shukla, health officer of the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), confirmed the incident and announced a 48-hour inquiry has been ordered by the Deputy Commissioner of Health.
Hospital chief medical officer Dr. Sandeep Pagare acknowledged Savita showed signs of a stroke and required ICU admission. He added that her children had dialed the 108 emergency number, but no ambulance was available at the time. Miscommunication also reportedly hampered efforts to get help from the hospital directly.
The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious concerns over emergency medical services and coordination between hospitals. The KDMC has assured that responsibility will be fixed once the inquiry is complete.
