--- title: "Oxygen Depletion in Mandla Ambulance Leads to Death of 21-Year-Old Patient" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/oxygen-depletion-in-mandla-ambulance-leads-to-death-of-21-year-old-patient-p0wcn publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: India published: 2026-07-31T16:49:05.000Z modified: 2026-07-31T19:01:08.669Z language: en-IN --- # Oxygen Depletion in Mandla Ambulance Leads to Death of 21-Year-Old Patient A 21-year-old kidney patient died in Madhya Pradesh after a government ambulance reportedly ran out of oxygen mid-transit. The incident has triggered a high-level investigation into systemic equipment failures and medical negligence. ## Key takeaways - A 21-year-old kidney patient died in Mandla after a government ambulance's oxygen supply was reportedly exhausted during a hospital transfer. - The 108 emergency ambulance reportedly arrived an hour late and staff initially refused to administer oxygen without a doctor's order. - Only 14 of the 43 ambulances in Mandla district are equipped with oxygen, and several of those were recently out of service for repairs. - A five-member committee headed by the Joint Collector has been formed to investigate claims of medical negligence and equipment failure. - Opposition leaders have demanded the Health Minister's resignation, citing the incident as part of a broader decline in state healthcare services. ## Emergency Response Failures in Mandla A 21-year-old man, Ajeet Bariya, died on July 27 while being transported to a hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district. Bariya, a resident of Sunhera Mal who suffered from a chronic kidney ailment and required regular dialysis, reportedly succumbed to respiratory distress when the oxygen supply in a government ambulance was exhausted during transit. The victim's father, Aman Bariya, alleged that despite specific requests for oxygen support when calling the 108 emergency service, the ambulance arrived an hour late and staff initially refused to provide the life-sustaining gas without a physician’s formal order. ## Chronology of a Fatal Delay The sequence of events began when Bariya’s family sought an early dialysis appointment due to his worsening condition. Following a refusal from the dialysis center, they summoned an ambulance. According to family accounts, the vehicle bypassed the district hospital to stop at a closer facility in Bamhani. There, a physician reportedly reprimanded the ambulance crew for the lack of oxygen administration and ordered an immediate transfer back to the district hospital. However, the oxygen supply failed just three kilometers into the second leg of the journey. Aman Bariya stated that his son died in his arms while gasping for air. He contended that had the staff attempted to use the oxygen at the village level, the shortage would have been discovered early enough to secure a replacement cylinder from the Bamhani hospital before departing. ## Systemic Infrastructure Shortages The incident has exposed significant gaps in the region's emergency infrastructure. Internal data from the district administration reveals that out of 43 ambulances servicing a population of over 10 lakh people, only 14 are equipped with oxygen facilities. Furthermore, six of those oxygen-equipped vehicles were recently offline for repairs. Mandla currently operates with a ratio of one ambulance for every 23,000 residents, based on 2011 census figures. ## Political Fallout and Official Inquiry Mandla Collector Rahul Namdev Dhote has established a five-member committee, led by the Joint Collector and including medical experts, to investigate the allegations of negligence. Public Health Engineering Minister Sampatiya Uikey confirmed she has requested a formal report from the collector, though she defended the state’s broader health investments under Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The tragedy has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. Umang Singhar, Leader of the Opposition, cited the event as evidence of a failing healthcare system, referencing recent reports of neonatal deaths and hospital hygiene issues. Singhar has called for the resignation of Health Minister Rajendra Shukla in response to the lapse. - The investigative panel is expected to determine if protocol violations occurred regarding oxygen maintenance. - District authorities have signaled that strict disciplinary action will follow if negligence is proven. - Social media footage of the victim struggling to breathe has intensified public scrutiny of the 108 emergency service. Source: The Hindu — National --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/oxygen-depletion-in-mandla-ambulance-leads-to-death-of-21-year-old-patient-p0wcn Reported from: The Hindu — National