Dial 1298 for medical emergency
Common Helpline To Start On June 1; More Ambulances In City Soon
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The city's first emergency medical network will begin on June 1 with
private and public hospitals deciding to pool in their resources and operate
through a common helpline.

    At a meeting held at Hinduja Hospital on Tuesday, representatives of the
government, the BMC and private hospitals decided to add more ambulances to
the city's healthcare system. "There is a need to integrate the existing
emergency and trauma medical care system in the city of both private and
public hospitals,'' said Aziz Khan, state secretary (medical education).

    A committee, including former JJ Hospital dean Dr G B Daver, who is now
with Hinduja Hospital, and Sion Hospital dean Dr M E Yeolekar, was set up to
coordinate the June 1 startup. "We will work towards evolving a system that
will ensure that an accident victim reaches hospital within the Golden Hour,''
said Dr Daver. The meeting decided to chose 1298, an existing not-for-profit
ambulance service that has a call-centre backup, as the common helpline
number. "The 1298 service has 10 advanced life support ambulances. We want
the BMC, state government and other hospitals to provide their ambulances
for the network and extend the fleet,'' said Shaffi Mather of 1298.

    AT present, the city has a poor ambulance tally. It has 1,400 registered
ambulances, but only 70 of them have oxygen units and 12 have advanced life
support vans.

    "If Mumbai has to have an efficient EMS network, we need 70 advanced
ambulances stationed at various spots over the next three years.''

    Joint municipal commissioner Dr S G Damle said efforts should be made to
ensure that lives are saved. "The BMC would support any endeavour that seeks
to would help save citizens' lives,'' he said. The corporation's fire
brigade services will also be integrated into the EMS.

toireporter@timesgroup.com

LIFE-SAVER: The emergency medical network will help accident victims reach
hospital within the Golden Hour


Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Apr 4, 2007; Section:Times City;
Page Number:6

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