Srinagar, May 24: Valley’s lone pediatric specialty, GB Pant Hospital, ferries patients in ambulances without life-support system putting their lives in danger.
In gross violation of the guidelines of the government, the ambulances have no stretcher, first-aid box and gas cylinders.
“The role of ambulance is vital in critical care to save precious lives but when the vehicle is without basic facilities it is nothing less than cab ferrying passengers,” a doctor said.
The hospital uses white low-ceiling vans as ambulances.
“The ambulance should have at least some basic life saving drugs like adrenaline, Dexamethazone, Hydracortizone, Phucimide and Amylophylin to delay complications during the shifting of patients,” medicos said.
The doctors underscored that in order to improve the ambulance network in the hospital, outsourcing was an alternative. “But it would be costly for the poor patients. The authorities should upgrade the facility to make it useful during emergency,” they said.
They said that to upgrade this entire system, the hospital administration have to either outsource the ambulance network to some responsible agency or ask for separate funds for the service from the government. “This problem is not only faced by the GB Pant Hospital but majority of the hospitals have the same condition,” a doctor said.
“Even nobody takes cognizance of the private vehicle operators outside the hospital who charge exorbitant rates from patients,” said the doctor.
Experts said that well-equipped ambulances can make a difference in saving the lives of patients. There has to be some difference between ferrying a patient in auto-rickshaw and ambulance. While private operators outside the hospital were asked about the fare, they replied that the rates were charged according to the distance and the condition of the patient.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 IST