Despite the traffic police’s best efforts on New Year’s eve, more than 100 patients were admitted to hospitals in the city for accident-related injuries.
The city’s three major government tertiary care hospitals received around 130 persons, post celebrations.
GH alone admitted 48 persons classified as ‘medico-legal cases’ in its casualty ward between 31 December and January 1.
Though this year saw a rise in the number of accidents reported compared to last year, fewer patients came in with serious injuries. At the Government Kilpauk Hospital, 14 persons were admitted in the 24-hour period ending on January 1. All of them had sustained minor injuries or fractures. “They were all referred to the orthopaedics department for further treatment,” said a senior doctor at the hospital.
At Stanley Hospital, two persons were admitted for extensive treatment, while around 30 others required treatment for minor injuries, hospital authorities said.
The Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, as usual, received the largest number of patients. Between December 31 and January 1, more than 92 patients were treated for injuries sustained in road accidents. This was apart from patients reporting with injuries sustained by falling off trains and from injuries in assaults. Doctors here said that this group accounted for another 110 patients.
GVK EMRI 108, the State’s ambulance system, also saw more persons being transported to medical facilities.
In Chennai alone, 86 persons were transported over the two-day New Year period.
According to district manager M. Mohamed Bilal, nearly 50 per cent of all persons transported were victims of accidents.
“We had made arrangements to increase the ambulances in the city for New Year’s. There are some remote pockets from where only a couple of cases are reported during nights and that too rarely. We positioned these ambulances in strategic locations in the city and attached these ambulances to police patrol vehicles. So when an accident was reported, we were with the police and could transport the cases without having to wait,” Mr. Bilal added.
