Service inaugurated by PM Modi last week undergoing quality assessment at present
Tuesday, 05 NOVEMBER 2024 | GAJENDRA SINGH NEGI | DEHRADUN
The much-hyped air ambulance service of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh could not be used to transport injured passengers of the ill fated bus which met with a tragic accident at Marchula in Almora on Monday morning due to technical issues. If operational, the air ambulance service inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week could have saved precious lives.
It is learnt that the air ambulance of AIIMS Rishikesh is still undergoing quality assessment and other checks and has not become operational yet. However, six seriously injured patients were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh by a general helicopter by the authorities.
The State government authorities airlifted the injured patients from Ramnagar which is more than 45 kilometres away from the accident site. Had it been operational, the air ambulance would have proven effective in airlifting the injured possibly from the accident site itself. It would have reduced the response time and could have saved precious lives. The accident occured between Marchula and Gaulikhal at around 7:30 AM to 8 AM and the first helicopter carrying three injured passengers landed at AIIMS- Rishikesh at 12:50 PM. The second helicopter ferrying three more patients arrived in AIIMS- Rishikesh at 4:20 PM.
Expressing concern at delay in airlifting seriously injured passengers, the founder of Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, Anoop Nautiyal said that the golden hour concept is important in emergency care in the accident cases to save lives. He said that the government should revamp its disaster response model.
The additional chief executive officer of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) Anand Swaroop told The Pioneer that AIIMS- Rishikesh arranged the helicopter which was used to transport the injured passengers. When inquired, the public relations officer of AIIMS-Rishikesh, Sandeep Kumar Singh said that the air ambulance is undergoing quality assessment.
It is pertinent to mention here that PM Modi had inaugurated the first helicopter ambulance service of AIIMS- Rishikesh in a programme organised at All India Institute of Ayurveda on the occasion of Dhanvantari Jayanti in New Delhi on October 29.
One pilot, two technical officers and one navigator are deployed in the air ambulance service of AIIMS- Rishikesh. The premier institute has also set up a 12 member team of doctors, nursing staff and others for the air ambulance service.
