‘Wee-woo- wee woo’, the siren of your ambulance blares. In
the backseat, you can notice the accident victim, struggling with every passing
moment, dropping in and out of consciousness. You wipe the sweat off your
forehead, as you desperately try to weave your way through the thick traffic, which
seems to be going on for miles, as if fading into the horizon. You keep honking
the horn, hoping against hope, that you will be able to find a breakthrough,
from the thick blanket of vehicles, that will allow you to rescue the now
unconscious patient, and get him to the hospital, in time. You look behind your
shoulder, to peek at the heart rate monitor – what you see is not a pretty
sight, as it indicates a rate, constantly on the drop – much like your hopes of
saving the patient. And then, just like that, the line on the monitor goes
flat; the patient, lying stationary. Another day, where a life succumbed to the
helplessness of an ambulance, thanks, to the ever-increasing issues of traffic.
A life, that could have been saved, with better management, awareness, empathy,
efficiency and patience.
The aforementioned scenario might have been hypothetical in
nature, but, is one that is very relatable, especially for ambulances, and
patients, who have had the unfortunate experience of being in an ambulance, in
the city of Karachi. There are many causes and reasons, most of which are very
addressable, that lead to traffic problems within the city, leading to severe
consequences, one of which, as mentioned, is the inability of ambulances,
carrying severely ill or injured persons, to reach hospitals in time, and,
thus, costing precious lives.
According to DR Saeed Minhas, an associate professor of
orthopedics at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, “Emergency services and
trauma care is neglected all across the world. The lack of infrastructure,
knowledge and initiative leave vast tracts of national highways, roadways,
hazard zones unattended and under-served in the case of calamities, accidents
and disasters.
A study was conducted, which aimed at assessing the outcomes
as a result of hospital transfer and delays in trauma patients. This study had
a sample size of 978 patients, and spanned across a time period of seven years
(1998-2005). It was based on trauma patients presenting to the Aga Khan
University Hospital, Karachi, meeting the trauma team activation criteria. Data
was collected and entered into a Trauma Registry. The study focused on
analyzing the outcomes of injury to delay in definitive treatment and survival.
The results of the study showed, that, out of the 978
patients, only 303 (30.9%), reached the Emergency Room (ER), within an hour.
The mean time from injury occurrence to arrival in the ER, was an alarming 4.7
hours.
Long distances over which casualties may have to be
transported to reach a medical facility in poorly maintained vehicles, the time
taken for patients to reach hospitals and subsequent absence of appropriate
equipment and supplies, besides skilled doctors, are some of the reasons behind
the high mortality rate due to trauma.”
The main causes for traffic problems include roads that are
too narrow to accommodate vehicles, the ever-existent construction works on
roads, the existence of VIP culture, and last, but not the least, the eternal
hurry and rush in which the people of the ‘city of lights’ find themselves, to
reach nowhere.
The motorists and drivers in Karachi, furthermore, are known
to be insensitive and callous, and fail to allow passage to emergency vehicles,
such as firetrucks, police vans, or ambulances. Most of the motorists complain
of the same ‘traffic issues’ as the cause of their denial of passage to
ambulances.
However, no excuse is good, or valid enough, when a human
life hangs in the balance. Thus, instead of banking on explanations and trying
to justify our actions, we need to find, and identify ways through which we can
help an ambulance, giving them the rights of passage, even when stuck in
traffic. This essay will try and discuss, a few of those.
Firstly, MOVE TO THE LEFT. This is an instruction which, on
the face of it, sounds simple, but, unfortunately, is not followed frequently,
if at all. Almost all of us can testament to the drama of the reaction of the
people, to an approaching ambulance. Instead of giving way, many people stare
at the ambulance in complete and utter confusion, as if the blaring sirens of
the ambulance give a message they find impossible to decipher, unable to
realize the sensitivity of the situation at hand. A traffic controller, if
present, does little to contribute; instead, he is just an addition to the
extensive list of onlookers and spectators.
People struggle to understand that there is a life, if not
multiple lives, at stake. However, this does not happen, primarily due to the
awareness, or lack of it, amongst the people. Individuals need to be made
mindful, that they should be moving to the left, as soon as they see an
ambulance, approaching, or hear its siren, so that the right side can be made
free for the ambulance to pass. If you cannot move to the left in a safe
manner, simply, slow down, and allow the ambulance to overtake you. People who
do not follow this rule should not simply be ignored or sidelined, but rather,
informed, and, in some cases, even reported to the authorities.
Secondly, the traffic needs to be brought to a halt. The
entire traffic should be stopped, on the left side, until the ambulance has
passed through, and, no vehicle should be allowed to move, before that. DO NOT
rush to the left side, but slowly and steadily make way for the ambulance.
Panic will only result in adding the number of people in the ambulance,
something that we do not want, at all.
In such a scenario, we should look out for people who try
and use this as situation as an opportunity to overtake other drivers or
vehicles. Also, look out for people who try to get behind the ambulance, to
make a quick getaway. Such people should be noted, and reported to the traffic
police. VIP vehicles should not be exempt either, and they should follow the
rule, just like every other citizen. Driving is a privilege granted to you,
but, living is a basic right. Do not rob anyone of his or her rights, by
putting your privileges ahead of those rights. We cannot just put down the
entire burden of responsibility on traffic authorities, as they are nothing but
helpless, without the assistance of motorists. A responsible citizen is not
only someone who looks to abide by rules, but, also, someone, who reports those
who do not.
Most citizens are unaware about the law, which allows
ambulances to break the traffic, as well as drive on the wrong side of the
road. So, the next time you spot an ambulance behind you, do not think twice
before jumping signals, and allowing the ambulance to pass through.
Often, motorists are tentative about jumping signals,
fearing the fine that they might incur, consequently. However, the law permits
you to break signals, if there is an emergency vehicle behind you. This is
something that all drivers should be mindful of.
NEVER, EVER park in front of a parked ambulance. That is,
perhaps, the worst thing you can do, as an owner or driver of a vehicle. Often,
drivers park in front of ambulances, making it practically impossible for the
ambulance driver to carry the patient(s), to the hospital.
If you spot an ambulance being trapped, owing to a parked
vehicle, always ensure that such vehicles are reported to the authorities.
Stern action should be taken against such irresponsible and careless drivers,
and citizens.
To conclude, long term issues such as traffic problems,
inadequate roads, and the existence and prevalence of VIP culture, are just
that – long term, and, will take years to resolve. However, we, as citizens,
should realize our duties, and our responsibilities towards fellow citizens,
especially those who are fighting a battle to stay alive. We should use the
aforementioned ‘hacks’, alongside other measures, and do whatever we can, to
facilitate ambulances, and allow them to function in a smooth and efficient
manner.
Written By: Aisha Hanif Akhai
8:44 AM
US A MA
