Death Because Of Negligency Of Ambulance Driver: An Alarming Situation Towards The Breakdown Of Healthcare Services!

Ambulance! What is that one thought that comes to mind when you hear this word? Of course, life-saving vehicle. What if I say that the same life-saving vehicle is also competent enough to kill you? Horrible right? The news is from the state of Maharashtra, where an Ambulance, while reversing, runs over a man twice, resulting in his death.

And if you think this is just one case, then hold on; the list is long enough to threaten your nervous system with shocking waves.

The news from July 2022 says that the negligence of an ambulance driver Roshan in the Udipi district resulted in the loss of lives of four people. CCTV footage from the toll plaza showed the ambulance driver losing control of the vehicle as it neared the emergency vehicle lane. The ambulance collided with the toll plaza and fell over, killing four persons, including the toll booth employee.

The news from September 2022 says that The ambulance driver, who was apparently drunk, jumped on the accelerator instead of the brakes and collided with two motorcycles ahead of the truck, killing three people on the spot and injuring two more. The news revolves around the location of Ghaziabad.

Another news from June 2019 from Bengaluru says that an ambulance driver allegedly made the vehicle jump the median of the Ballari Road elevated expressway and hit a car coming from the opposite direction, claiming the decease of five lives. However, during the enquiry, he said that a vehicle in front of him suddenly applied brakes, and to avoid the collision, he swerved to the right, resulting in the accident.

And many more……

All this news paves the way for many questions: Are the ambulance drivers in India trained enough to run the vehicle judiciously in such a panicking situation? Is their selection for duties done through due vigilance, or just casually, they are offered such crucial job roles?

The healthcare delivery system in India begins at the village level and progresses to super-specialised medical centres that provide state-of-the-art emergency medical treatments. These top centres, which are located in major cities, are regarded as the last referral sites for patients from neighbouring cities and states. As the number of rail and road accidents has grown in recent years, the role of emergency medical services (EMS) has become vital in saving lives. However, when the infrastructure and administration of these emergency centres fail before the patient, the question of appropriate availability and quality of EMS emerges. And the negligence of ambulance drivers shows the deteriorating quality of emergency healthcare services.

In such a case, the scenario of lack of manpower and investment is a challenge which lies in the entire system. There is a shortage of skilled drivers and training programs for training the appointed ones. While providing this service, hospitals consider the benefit-risk ratio as well as profitability. Ambulance service, on the other hand, is more of a service-oriented practice than a profit-generating one. As a result, most healthcare facilities are wary of it, resulting in the appointment of unskilled drivers who can prove to be fatal while executing the ambulance driver’s duties.

What options are there?

Hospitals do have their own ambulance service. However, it requires a significant amount of personnel, investment, frequent driving instruction, and a regular examination of their skill and knowledge. This is not limited to ambulance drivers. Everyone needs training and drills from time to time to keep their skills and abilities up to date. And when it comes to hospital and ambulance services, they become even more in demand because they are viewed as life-saving services.

Ambulances are considered one of the initial points of medical and healthcare services. And if the gear of the same is not given to trained personnel, unfortunately, it will be too late to comment on the life of the person!