Page 47 - TT Aug-Sept pdf for digital

MAKING A POINT

for ambulance drivers, which ensures
basic driving skills but overlooks
other critical attributes like:
i) Expert Driving Skills: Navigating
through traffic efficiently under
stress.

ii) Medical Knowledge:
Understanding basic medical
terminology and emergency
procedures.

iii) Physical Fitness: Ability to manage
patients and equipment.
iv) Communication Skills: Effective
interaction with patients and
medical teams.
v) Problem-Solving and Time
Management: Quick decision-
making and time efficiency in highways, several of the following d) Mandatory Internships:
emergencies.
strategies could be considered: Implementing mandatory
vi) Personal Qualities: Compassion, a) Compliance with State internships for EMTs and nurses
calmness, patience, teamwork, Support Agreements: States in highway settings would
and resilience. should be encouraged to provide practical experience
The lack of focus on these adhere to their commitments and improve preparedness
attributes results in a reliance on under State Support and a steady stream of trained
local, less experienced drivers Agreements for staffing workforce.
who may not meet the nuanced and operating traffic aid e) Corporatization: Transitioning
demands of emergency medical posts and ambulances. Non- to a corporatized model for
transport. compliance should result in ambulance services could
penalties, including a halt in ensure better management and
Conspicuous Absence the development of National service quality.
of Hearses Highways in the state.
f) Dedicated EMT Cadre:
A critical issue is the absence of b) Expansion of Coverage of Establishing a specialized cadre
dedicated hearses for transporting 108 Ambulance Services for EMTs with competitive
deceased individuals. Fatal accident to all Highways: The 108 salaries and career growth
victims are often transported in emergency services, equipped opportunities could attract and
the same ambulances used for with advanced technology and retain qualified professionals.
injured patients, which can delay staffed by trained professionals,
the evacuation of survivors/ deny could be expanded to cover g) Technological Integration:
services of ambulance to other highways. This would prioritize Using advanced technologies,
accident victims. The agreements accident victims and reduce such as 5G-enabled live feeds,
between the National Highways the need for separate state could improve real-time
Authority of India (NHAI) and manpower commitments. guidance and patient care.
concessionaires do not currently c) Expert Management: h) Provision of Hearses: Mandating
address the provision of hearses, Transferring ambulance the inclusion of hearses on
exacerbating the problem. operations on all National highway projects would
The Way Forward Highways to specialized ensure appropriate handling of
domain experts could enhance deceased victims and prevent
To improve emergency management efficiency and delays in the evacuation of
management on national service quality. injured accident victims. TT

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