Emergency network

In Karachi an emergency is reported every two minutes. It is unknown how many people die as a result of such emergencies, which include trauma, fire and sickness. Indeed a countrywide network is badly needed, with services similar to the 1122 Rescue teams operating in Punjab extended to all parts of the country. The consequences of not having a quality ambulance service in place was highlighted last month when a special committee headed by a former judge, and set up by the Supreme Court, provided its findings on the death in Karachi last year of 10-year old Amal Umar. The girl had died during a shootout between police and alleged criminals.An ambulance service manned by trained paramedical staff could potentially save hundreds if not thousands of lives each year. The service should be backed by trauma centres at hospitals where staff trained in providing emergency aid to victims in critical conditions are employed. Trauma care is now a major specialty in many countries. We badly need similar attention to the care of patients who suffer from serious injuries as a result of accidents, violence or other circumstances. Pakistan is among those countries which have the highest death rate on average for the victims of road accidents.The primary aim of course must be to get all people in need of medical aid to a hospital in good time and under the right conditions. A high quality ambulance service is the only way to ensure this. Services in Karachi are currently overloaded and inadequate to meet the needs of the country’s largest city. In many other towns and villages of Sindh, no service exists at all. This is a situation that needs to be remedied as quickly as possible. In times of desperation, citizens must have a service they can turn to for relief. The agony of families that have had to witness loved ones perish as a result of inadequate care or timely aid is indescribable. A very large number of lives can be saved if treatment is available immediately after the incident and expert care provided as soon as possible after it occurs. The need for ambulance cover in all parts of the country is an urgent matter and needs to be addressed as such.

from The News International - Editorial https://ift.tt/2Vg2Ull