Pune’s worsening traffic jams put emergency medical services at risk

Pune: The poor condition of Pune’s roads and increasing traffic chaos is not just a matter of public complaint; It has also emerged that emergency medical services (EMS) are bearing the brunt of these critical situations.

Pune Ambulance Association president Balasaheb Hingne, speaking to The Free Press Journal, revealed the alarming impact on patient care. He said, “As the city’s traffic situation is worsening, the golden time to transport a patient to the hospital, usually five to seven minutes, has now increased to 30 to 40 minutes. As a result of this three-fold increase “Treatment is being delayed, which is directly threatening.” “The health and life of the people being transported.”

He further said, “The civic administration now needs to immediately ease the traffic for ambulances, as every minute counts in an emergency. We are sure that the civic body does not want to suffer loss of lives due to poor traffic conditions.”

Meanwhile, Dr Dnyaneshwar Shelke, chief operating officer (COO) of emergency medical service 108 Ambulance, promised to take action and said, “We will write to the state authorities seeking immediate intervention to improve the poor traffic conditions in cities like Pune and Mumbai.” Will request.” , These cities, especially Pune, appear to be suffering from an engineering flaw that needs immediate attention. This will ensure uninterrupted emergency medical services, resulting in proper patient transportation during the golden period.”

Shelke also demanded a dedicated ambulance lane in the city to save patients from the “life-threatening consequences” of traffic congestion.

Another solution Shelke suggested was for the regional transport office (RTO) to make it mandatory for vehicles to display the message “Give way to ambulance” during license renewal. “This initiative will help raise awareness about the critical importance of prioritizing the patient’s life during transit,” he said.

Noble Hospital Director Dr HK Sale expressed disappointment over the traffic situation in the city. “The traffic in the city is not only pathetic but has reached unbearable levels. Our staff has to bear the brunt of it every day,” he said.

SAIL revealed that doctors are forced to resort to two-wheelers due to insurmountable traffic bottlenecks to meet the deadlines of emergency surgeries. “We face serious challenges when attending critical cases such as polytrauma, myocardial dysfunction and caesarean sections, which increases the risk of road traffic accidents for medical professionals.”

Holding the city administration responsible for the worsening situation, SAIL said, “The suffering is extended to Pune residents; it is a serious blow to the health services. We need to immediately conduct a thorough study of the city and ensure uninterrupted flow of roads and signals.” “Experts are needed to redesign.” of emergency medical services in Pune.