Pune pvt hospital’s mock ambulance drill claims to expose citizens’ apathy

A mock drill conducted by a private hospital in Pune claims to have found that the average person encountered during the drill shows little sympathy towards patients in an ambulance

PUNE A mock drill conducted by a private hospital over a seven-day period aimed to gauge people’s reactions towards an ambulance.

A mock drill conducted by a private hospital in Pune claims to have found that the average person encountered during the drill shows little sympathy towards patients in an ambulance. (HT FILE (FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE))

The private hospital group, Lokmanya hospitals, conducted the survey and claims to have found that the average person encountered during the drill showed little sympathy towards patients in an ambulance, as a result of which, time taken to travel a 30-minute distance would increase to 80 minutes.

Civil problems like construction and commercial activities on the streets further added to the delay, ambulance drivers who were part of the drill claimed.

The drill was conducted within a 10km radius from the Lokmanya hospital and covered areas like Senapati Bapat Marg, Pashan, Warje, Kothrud, Pimple Saudagar and Aundh. The drills were run in morning and evening rush hours, 10-12 am and 5-8 pm.

The idea of the drill was also to emphasise the “golden hour”, the first 60 minutes during any medical emergency, critical in saving a patient’s life.

The hospital used five ambulances for the seven day-drill which ended on October 4. Ambulance drivers claimed to have observed continued apathy from other vehicles on the road as well.