A difficult journey to the hospital became the reason for a remarkable community initiative in Karnataka. After repeatedly rushing sick villagers to hospitals in their auto-rickshaws because ambulances were not readily available, a group of drivers decided to find a permanent solution. They pooled their savings, sought help from villagers and donors, and purchased a fully equipped ambulance worth around Rs 12 lakh. Today, the drivers themselves are taking turns to provide free emergency transport to residents of two villages in Bantwal taluk.
When auto-rickshaws became the only option during emergencies
In several parts of rural India, reaching a hospital during a medical emergency can be a challenge, particularly when an ambulance is not readily available. Residents of Kariyangala and Ammunje villages in Karnataka's Bantwal taluk had faced this difficulty on multiple occasions. Whenever someone fell seriously ill or needed urgent medical attention, families sometimes had no choice but to depend on auto-rickshaws to transport patients to hospitals.
For the auto-rickshaw drivers, however, these situations were not easy to handle. Their vehicles were not designed to transport patients requiring emergency…