The Hindu Business Line : AP Govt, corporate hospitals launch emergency medical services project

IN a bid to reach out to accident victims in the shortest possible time, a network of Government and corporate hospitals have joined hands to launch the Andhra Pradesh Emergency Medical Services project.

Inaugurated here today by Dr K. Anji Reddy, Director-General of Medical and Health Services (Government of Andhra Pradesh), the network would be implemented along the three major highways connecting Hyderabad in the first phase. The first phase would cover Hyderabad-Karimnagar, Hyderabad-Vijayawada and Hyderabad-Guntur.

The key component of the network is the telephone number 1056. All calls to this number would be received by the Central Monitoring Unit located at King Koti Hospital, which would see to it that an ambulance from the nearest hospital rushes to the accident site.

"There were 30,000 trauma cases registered last year in the State. Of this, 10,000 lost their lives," Dr Reddy said.

"About 10 per cent die at the accident site itself. No amount of effort could rescue them. But 60-70 per cent die due to lack of medical assistance for four to six hours after the accident. We would like to target this group," Dr Anji Reddy said.

The ambulances were equipped with both basic and advanced life-support systems that included ventilators.

While transport from the accident site to the hospital and resuscitation are offered free of cost, patients have to pay for the treatment at the referral hospitals.

Dr Reddy said the network would later be extended to all State and national highways, including the Srikakulam-Tada stretch.

The network would have a tie-up with the police to use the latter's highway patrol vehicles.

Kamineni Hospitals, Care Hospitals, Apollo Hospitals and Global Hospitals volunteered to join the network.

Dr D.T. Naik, DCP (Traffic), said the emergency network would go a long way in reducing the loss.

More Stories on : Health | Medical Institutions & Hospitals | Andhra Pradesh

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