With a new console exclusively for the district and more ambulances added to the network, the emergency service by Raksha Angels Project, which is accessible by dialling 102, is all set to be re-charged.
So far, 207 ambulances that have GPS installed in them have been added to the network and the trial runs from February had been progressively getting calls. Last month, around 80 calls were attended to, and in June so far, 30 calls were received.
The project aims to create a service that would reach out to accident victims or other emergency needs within minimum time and make medical services available to the victim or patient within the golden period, said G. Ananthakrishnan, Joint RTO, Mattanchery, who is also joint executive director of Raksha Angels.
Raksha Angels has also brought under its ambit all 600 ambulances in the district and this network could be pressed into service in large numbers to meet the needs in any disaster.
All calls to 102 would be recorded, said Mr. Ananthakrishnan. There had been a number of prank calls too during the trial runs. But, once the service was formally launched, strict action would be taken against prank callers, he said.
Ambulance drivers who have come into the network have been provided training in basic life support care and handling of trauma victims. Careless handling of accident victims had been a major cause of morbidity, said Mr. Ananthakrishnan.
For better handling of trauma victims, about 60 ambulances have been provided with spine boards to help them carry the accident victim to the stretcher in the ambulance. This would help protect the victim against further aggravation of any injury to the spinal cord, said M.M. Haneesh, the medical director of the Raksha Angels project.
While motivating and orienting the ambulance drivers is a major issue in making the project run smoothly, there are also issues of lack of funds for the project.
While those who call the ambulance would be paying for the services, the issue of paying for a destitute victim continues to be a hurdle.
When the project was launched in 2015, the console was being operated from Kozhikode, where the Angels (Active Network Group of Emergency Life Savers) had started the first chapter.
The District Collector, the City Police Commissioner and the RTO are among the top functionaries of the Raksha Angels project.
The new console located at the General Hospital will be inaugurated by Health Minister K. K. Shylaja on Thursday at 10 a.m. Trained Kudumbasree workers will operate the console round the clock.
