Services rendered by personnel manning ‘108 ambulance’ services came in for praise at the recently concluded jallikattu in the district.
Speaking at the first anniversary celebrations of the ‘108’ ambulance services here, Joint Director of Health Services M. Panchanathan said that by facilitating admission of trauma victims within the golden hour in the hospital, many lives had been saved. It had also resulted in reduction of fatal cases. It was all due a committed workforce and technical staffers in the emergency services.
Government Rajaji Hospital Dean in-charge Chandrasekar appealed to the ‘108 ambulance’ personnel to consider shifting victims/patients from one hospital to another in case of emergencies. Though there might be practical difficulties, it might be examined in the larger interest of patients, he said.
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Deputy Director of Health Services A. Palanichamy said that the ‘108’ ambulance services had come as a boon to the needy in the event of emergencies. He recalled the days when very few vehicles were available on call in small towns.
Revenue Divisional Officer Sugumar said that victims at the Palamedu and Alanganallur ‘jallikattu’ were not only rushed to the hospital within the golden hour, but also provided first-aid by the ‘108’ personnel. Many beneficiaries of the ‘108’ services recalled the trauma they encountered and the timely services of the ambulance. Indian Red Cross Society (Madurai chapter) president Krishnan was honoured on the occasion.
Regional Manager (‘108’ emergency services) S.G.S. Lakshmanan said that they had handled over 18,400 emergencies, which included 4,900 cases of pregnancy, 5,400 cases of road accidents, 800 cases of cardiac arrest, 850 cases of police dispatches and nine fire accidents in the past year in Madurai district with the help of 13 ambulances.
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Over 1,150 lives, which would have probably been lost in the absence of timely and integrated emergency management, had been saved, he added.
Superintendent of Police M. Manohar presented life-saver awards to the staffers of the ‘108’ service and released a souvenir.