Bausha Pauwung Buchem
Agri Ward, Longleng
Ambulance is written in reverse order in front of ambulance vehicle so that drivers ahead of it on the road read correctly as ambulance in their rear view mirror and yield the right way. If the word was not reversed, the drivers of the car ahead of the vehicle could not recognize a word written in front of ambulance vehicle. With the lights flashing and sirens going, the other vehicles ahead of it would yield to it anyway but this was made not to mistake an ambulance for a police vehicle with similar lights.
Ambulance is typically of speed as times for emergency patients are much more valued than any other to save lives. Traffic police should act swiftly while public on their part ease traffic movements and make way for ambulance in times of emergency.
Under NHM patient transport ambulances (National Ambulance Service) are operating in the country with the facility people can dial 108 or 102 telephone number for calling an ambulance.
There was report of 76 ambulances that have been provided in the state. In every district for each district hospital one each Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) has been given for easier access to health services for the people of far flung areas with a Toll Free 102 telephone line for all emergency services and to monitor the ambulances. People have to be sensitized of the services available to them as many people from remote areas are unaware of the ambulance services providing to transport patients to healthcare centre. They remain outside of benefit because of their ignorance.
In one way, having public unaware the services provided—occur minimal public dejections and angers; otherwise, this would have incited more anger when two or more people asked for ambulance at the same time is unavailable. We cannot also expect an ambulance for each district would cover an entire district population.
To meet a growing needy of ambulance in emergency, privates and societies are initiated providing patients transporting vehicles. However, these initiatives are not affordable to some weaker sections. It is like “Get this service who can pay”. For some it is ok although it imposed high charges for being carried sick to hospital or deceased transport back home. At any cost they are ready to pay for cure or in the name of beloved lost. But there are—on the other side with poverty stricken families—cannot pay for the services being provided by private individuals or societies or NGOs at high rate despite of how equally they are loved to save lives.
There were news flashes over social media and prints in last part of august that happened in Odisha that, a tribal man walked 10 km with his wife’s body on his shoulder, accompanied by his weeping 12 year-old daughter after hospital authorities denied his plea for mortuary van or an ambulance. His wife died of tuberculosis at government hospital. If the hospital authorities refused to offer an ambulance to such a poor man the only option left was to walk.
Government must prioritize to address and should have in a position to arrive public expectation and ensure especially poor get free ambulance service.
It has realized that some existing ambulances in India are more like transport vehicles taking any vehicle only suitable to lay patient is used as ambulance without consideration to overall norms laid by transport ministry. Therefore, government has set new norms for ambulances that normal taxis merely fitted with flashers, sirens and hardly equipped with gadgets to carry patients safely to hospitals would not be allowed to operate as ambulances and this will abide by all ambulances to hit Indian roads from April 2018.
The ambulance Code specified that there would be four categories of road ambulances ranging from properly equipped two and three-wheelers as first responders to advanced life support ambulances. First responders would reach out to patients and injured persons and the other three categories of ambulance are patient transport, basic life support and advanced life support—which should have stretchers, traction device, stationary oxygen, cardiac monitor, and diagnostic equipment such as BP monitor and other equipments with life saving medical facilities. If these norms are strictly followed the rate of charge for services would also increase which will be more difficult to poor to access healthcare if they are not availed government supported ambulance.
The government alone may not able to procure/arrange to meet everyone during the times of every emergency, it is privates or NGOs that should bridge with at least having fulfilled minimum norms set for ambulances and offering to poor with affordable and concessional rates. A concept, that, the government may then compensate to those privates and societies for incurring losses due to the rates being charged with concession. Or, the government may pay 50% cash back to those BPL or PHH families who spent on private ambulance in the event of unavailability of government supported ambulance in transporting any critical patients, trauma, accident victims and pregnant women and children to healthcare facilities. There are many unfortunate, deprived rural populaces outside of or hardly get any medical facilities, the government must ensure these people access ambulance in times of need.
