THE UP Disaster Management Authority (UPDMA) says, “If a person gets medical aid within one hour of a road accident or terrorist attack, his life and limbs will be saved.”
“In fact, the first one hour, which is called golden period, decides the fate of those who are injured in a terrorist attack or road accident,” feels UPDMA.
Keeping this in view, the Authority has prepared a trauma and mass casualty management plan to ensure that the injured get medical aid within the ‘golden period’.
“If emergency medical care was available to the injured, the lives of several people could have been saved following Mumbai and Varanasi blasts that took place on 7/11 and 3/7 respectively,” the Authority feels.
In the aftermath of the serial blasts, the citizens carried the injured to the nearby hospitals.
But a large number of them died even before they could reach the hospital.
Medical care was not available to those who sustained injuries at the Victoria Park fire incident.
Talking to Hindustan Times about the plan, relief commissioner Renuka Kumar, a member of the UPDMA, said that the plan would cover all accidents, terrorist attack, natural disaster, fire, violence and poisoning. “The aim of the Authority is to ensure that the victims get adequate and prompt medical aid. It will reduce the mortality rate and disablement,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Talking to Hindustan Times about the plan, relief commissioner Renuka Kumar, a member of the UPDMA, said that the plan would cover all accidents, terrorist attack, natural disaster, fire, violence and poisoning. “The aim of the Authority is to ensure that the victims get adequate and prompt medical aid. It will reduce the mortality rate and disablement,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}The UPDMA has prepared a blue print of the plan that included an ambulance equipped with life-saving items.
Besides, wireless sets would be stationed in all the districts. On receiving the information of an accident or disaster or terrorist attack, the ambulance would rush to the spot, she added.
The doctors and para medical staff would provide medical aid to the trauma patient and admit the serious patients to the nearby hospitals, she added.
Speaking about the plan, director (Medical Health) Dr Ram Babu said that the Health Department would help the district hospitals set up trauma centres.
Trauma and Mass Casualty programme would pave the way for public private participation, he added.
The Red Cross, banks, fire services, police, non-government organisations and private companies were invited to manage the ambulance services, he added.
The local residents would be imparted training to deal with any emergency situation. The accident-prone sites would also be identified.
He said, “Deaths are preventable. But there should be appropriate pre-hospital and trauma care. The aim is to provide the injured with immediate medical aid to ensure the safety of their lives and limbs.”
The Authority has planned to set up urban and rural ambulance networking. In the State Capital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital will be developed into a trauma centre.
The rural ambulance service will be introduced on the Lucknow- Rae Bareli and the Lucknow- Shahjahanpur route.