Imparting basic life-saving skills to thousands of officials and volunteers, who are going to be present at the various bathing ghats, is the daunting task ahead of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in the coming few days. With the experience of the Godavari Pushkarams, in which the death toll of a stampede went up due to poor logistics, a lot of emphasis is being put on providing men and machines that may be needed to save lives right at the bathing ghats.
IMA Vijayawada chapter secretary M. Ravindranath said that IMA had agreed to take up the formidable task of teaching basic life-saving skills to non-medical staff of the Revenue, Endowments, Municipal and the Police Departments.
“In such massive gatherings there is always scope for secondary damage. People should not shift a person with an injured back holding the limbs,” Dr. Ravindranath said. Those at the bathing ghats should be able to administer first-aid to reduce tissue damage under the Golden Hour and Platinum Minutes concept.
The IMA has taken it upon itself to provide the doctors and medicos needed to take care of the first-aid centre, and base hospital at Durga Ghat. About 60 IMA members and 300 medicos have enlisted with the IMA to provide medical and health services during the pushkarams, Dr. Ravindranath said.
“One first-aid centre will be established for every 100 metres in the big bathing ghats. Clear instructions will be given to the doctors and paramedics where the patients should be sent after their condition is stabilised. No scope will be given for confusion,” IMA Vijayawada Chapter president P.M.C. Naidu said. From the first- aid centre the patients would be shifted to the closest base hospital and from there to the nearest referral hospital. This would be the route for patients from both the bathing ghats and Pushkar Nagars, Dr Naidu said.
Individual corporate hospitals have also come forward to provide, doctors, paramedics, ambulances, diagnostic kits and other life-saving equipment. Corporate hospitals have also earmarked wards for pushkaram visitors who need medical attention. Andhra Hospitals, Ramesh Hospitals, Y.V.Rao Cardiac, Aayush, Rainbow Children’s, Vijaya, Sunrise and Manipal Hospitals have already agreed to create special wards.
IMA will provide the personnel to man all first-aid centres and base hospitals associated with Durga Ghat and Andhra Hospitals (Gollapudi) the centres and hospitals associated with Ferry and the Pavitrasangamam ghats at Ibrahimpatnam.
Massive training schedule
Different types of training are being planned on a massive scale for doctors, paramedics, volunteers and government staff. Training is going to be given to doctors, paramedics and government staff in basic life-saving skills (BLS). Training will be given to specialists in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) by Andhra Hospitals, Ramesh Hospitals and Aayush Hospitals. Training in BLS will be given to 500 NSS volunteers by Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada and Guntur Medical College in Guntur. A mock drill will be a part of a disaster management plan at all the bathing ghats on August 11.
