Kunnikodu: A political tug-of-war over the appointment of an ambulance driver has left patients at the Kunnikodu Family Health Centre (FHC) struggling without emergency transport.
One of the ambulances under the FHC has been lying unused for nearly two years due to the absence of a driver, while the second has remained off the road for six months after an accident. The first vehicle, donated by Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh to the FHC under Vilakkudy Panchayat, now sits rusting and neglected.

The previous panchayat council had appointed a driver, but the new LDF council dismissed him. Though authorities announced that a replacement would be recruited through the employment exchange, the process never took off. As a result, the ambulance that once served the poor and needy remains abandoned.

Since the ambulance is registered under the panchayat secretary, responsibility for its operation rests with the panchayat council. Despite repeated protests and opposition interventions, no effective action has been taken.

Meanwhile, the second ambulance, allotted during the tenure of K N Balagopal as Member of Parliament, has not been repaired since its accident six months ago. The hospital management has also remained silent on the reasons for the prolonged delay in restoring the vehicle, which is registered under the Hospital Management Committee.
There are strong allegations that internal rifts within the CPM are behind the continued inaction.