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Dial 108 and save a life

Thanks to the service launched by EMRI, duty-minded citizens can now get over their predicament, writes B. MADHU GOPAL

FULLY LOADED An inside view of the van with ventilators and other sophisticated equipment PHOTOS: K.R. DEEPAK

You are going somewhere, when you suddenly stumble on people blocking nearly half the road and crowding around a small place. It doesn't take you long to realise that an accident had occurred. You also see a motorcyclist with severe head injuries and blood flowing all over his face and presenting a scary sight.

While some are taken aback at the ghastly sight and step aside, some find time to argue as to who is right and who is at fault and the few who are more conscious of their duty in such a situation seem to be in two minds.

Several questions seem to cross our mind. Shall we take him to the nearest private hospital? But, will the hospital staff accept a medico-legal case? Court may issue summons to me as it as a medico-legal case.

Most of us, if not all, should have faced this kind of predicament at one time or the other.

Put all your apprehensions and speculations to rest and allow `108 Emergency' to take over. If you are still unaware of the good work done by it, read on...

Launched by the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), the service has successfully completed 90 days in Visakhapatnam. It was first launched in Hyderabad on August 15 last. It is now available in Warangal, Vijayawada and Tirupati besides Visakhapatnam. The facility will be extended to cover the rest of the State in the next six months.

Coming to the City of Destiny, four state-of-the art ambulances have been stationed by EMRI at four vantage points: Gajuwaka, NAD Kotha Road, Madhurawada and the Collectorate to reach any given point in the city within 15 minutes. When a caller dials the toll free '108' (either from a landline phone or mobile), the EMRI call centre in Hyderabad receives the call. A person jots down information pertaining to the place of accident or any other emergency, the nature of incident and other vital information and passes it on to ambulance located closest to accident spot.

You may wonder how a person sitting in Hyderabad can direct the ambulance to some little known remote area on the outskirts of Vizag. The entire sketch of the bubbling metropolis, including the street names and door numbers, is fed on to a computer and the person sitting in Hyderabad can pinpoint the exact location within seconds, at the click of a button!

Continuous tracking

This is not all. A person monitoring the situation from Hyderabad can track down the movement of the ambulances and direct the one that is closest to the scene of accident to proceed. For instance, if an accident had occurred close to NAD Kotha Road Junction but the van stationed at the junction had gone to a distant place to attend to some emergency call, the one located at the next nearest spot, i.e., Gajuwaka, would be directed to proceed. Continuous tracking of the movement of the ambulances has been made possible with the help of Global Positioning System (GPS).

SIMPLE EXTERIOR Van on the move

"We operate in coordination with the Police, Fire and Medical Departments in a radius of 35 km. from the Dwaraka Bus Station (RTC Complex). I am proud to say that in the last 60 days not even single death had occurred in transit," says EMRI District Coordinator M.S.R. Swaroop.

Suppose an accident occurs in Anakapalle town, which is outside your jurisdiction, what would he do? "Depending on the urgency, we take a decision in consultation with our higher-ups in Hyderabad," he replies.

Says District Coordinator of Tirupati EMRI Suresh Kamle: "On getting information that 30 persons were taken ill after drinking contaminated water at Kasipentla village of Chandragiri mandal, 27 km. from Tirupati, we decided to send the ambulance after apprising the situation to our CEO, and the timely action helped in saving their lives.

We want people to call us the moment they encounter a case which needs immediate attention or medical aid. It needn't necessarily be a road accident. It could be injuries due to burns, electrocution, drowning, industrial accidents, animal bites, food poisoning, water contamination, requiring hospitalisation of patient and other cases. It could even be a woman suffering labour pains or a person who suffered a stroke, with none to shift that person to a hospital. In short, we attend to all kinds of emergencies," he says.

Safe transit

The ambulances, each costing Rs.23 lakhs, are fitted with imported medical apparatuses and patient-friendly equipment like centre-opening and detachable stretchers and wheel chairs, life-saving drugs, I.V. fluids and ventilators. Trained technicians provide first aid and monitor the condition of patient on way to the hospital.

The moment a patient is brought into the ambulance, a 12-page case record is prepared noting the general health condition and other vital information.

A duty doctor would be available round the clock at the call centre in Hyderabad, and if the situation warrants, the technician in the van corresponds with the doctor on mobile phone and acts on his/her instructions.

Little wonder that not even a single death had occurred while patients are being shifted to hospitals since the inception of the service in the metro.

MoU s with hospitals

"We have entered into a memorandum of understanding with about 135 hospitals in the city. We have collected data about the medical equipment, bed strength, specialists available and other details of those hospitals. Even in the case of unidentified patients, when EMRI shifts them to these hospitals (including private hospitals and nursing homes), they are admitting the cases," says Mr. Swaroop.

EMRI does not charge anything for its services, be it shifting a patient to hospital, sustaining the pulse rate by putting the patient on a ventilator or other services on board the ambulance. The responsibility of EMRI, however, ends with shifting a patient to a hospital. The patient would be shifted to a private hospital, if he/she can afford it, on his/her option. Sathyam Info is the technology partner of EMRI and the district administrations in the respective districts are extending support. So, the next time you come across an accident victim needing immediate medical attention or anybody who needs emergency help just dial 108 and pass on the information. The toll-free number doesn't cost you anything but you would have the satisfaction of helping a person in need. And, who knows you may be selected for the 'Selfless Heroism in Emergency' awards given annually by EMRI.

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