J&K to launch prompt medical emergency service'

New Delhi,February 09 (Scoop News) – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday said that the State Government is working on a comprehensive emergency medical care delivery to the citizens during accidents through a computerized high quality pre-hospital ambulance service and health helpline.

Addressing the International Congress on Medical Service System at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, the Chief Minister said that 108 control rooms are being established in the State which will facilitate timely response during emergencies.

“We are also placing 50 basic life support ambulances after every 30 kilometres on the National Highway to handle emergency”, he said adding that 800 ambulances have been provided to different health institutions in the State for quick transportation of the patients in medical emergencies. He said each district in the State is being provided with a critical ambulance equipped with advanced life support equipment.

Omar Abdullah said that Trauma Centres at Qazigund, Kangan and Leh have been made functional while six such centres at Lower Munda, Kargil, Anantnag, Bijbehara and Lawaypora are under various stages of execution. “We are also in the process of constructing more trauma centres in the districts of Pulwama, Baramulla and Kupwara”, he said adding that the State Government has constituted a Road Safety Council headed by the Chief Secretary.

“The Council apart from analysing the data on road accidents will establish road safety fund and advise the Government on the steps to be taken for provision of trauma and health care facilities to the victims of road accidents. The mandate of Council is also to formulate a comprehensive Road Safety Policy for the State”, he elaborated.

The Chief Minister said that in a State like Jammu and Kashmir where emergencies are a matter of routine both on account of natural calamities and man-made disasters, the value of timely and adequate response to emergency situations is of paramount importance. “Recognizing this fact, the State Government has put in place the above mentioned initiatives”, he said adding that under the comprehensive Road Safety Policy furthermore measures would be taken to address this important issue.

Omar Abdullah said that the State Government is also in the process of operating health helpline 108 and 104 for emergency ambulance service to ensure timely response to the affected during emergencies.

“In many countries in the world Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is summoned by public through emergency telephone numbers which connects them to control facility and eventually the despatch of a suitable resource to deal with the situation is organized”, he said adding that EMS also handles technical rescue operations and the ambulances attached with this service are equipped with advance life support and personnel including doctors, nurses and paramedics. “We are in a process of putting in place this type of emergency response service in the State”, he maintained.

The Chief Minister underlined the need for shifting of the concept of response to emergencies from the traditional 3Rs – rescue, relief, rehabilitation to a more pragmatic 3Ps – prevention, preparedness and proofing and suggested that the key lessons of the Congress should be shared with State Governments and other agencies across the country to enable them to network with each other in a more effective way for collectively responding to such situations.

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