On Tuesday, around 2 PM., a seven-year-old boy, Basavayya, was brought to the KVB Puram primary health center by Puthuru locals after being bitten by a snake. However, the boy died while undergoing medical treatment. Dr. J. Nivas, Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner, Tirupati district, refuted allegations of negligence on the part of officials in arranging medical treatment.

He noted that the boy was brought to the hospital three hours after the snake bite, while his health condition was already deteriorating. The medical officer who noticed his deteriorating health condition called a 108 ambulance to shift the boy to the Srikalahasthi area hospital at 2:03 p.m. The boy was taken to the hospital by 2:09 p.m. and he died from undertreatment at 2:18 p.m.

He clarified that the deceased was not immediately shifted to the 108 ambulance vehicles because the vehicles had left to attend to another emergency call from a pregnant woman. Although the medical officer assigned to the case tried to arrange a private vehicle and even offered her vehicle, the boy′s relatives denied help.

In the press release, he also added that the government has formed a committee with the DSP, RDO, and private ambulance operators to transport the bodies of deceased patients at fixed rates to avoid such situations. The rates were displayed at all the CHCs, area hospitals, and district hospitals.