Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday chaired a meeting to explore the feasibility of introducing First Responder Vehicles (FRVs) to tend to medical emergencies in the Capital during the crucial ‘golden hour’.
Intended to provide quick pre-hospital care response in congested areas of Delhi, the L-G said, 16 FRVs will be started in east Delhi on pilot basis from January.
Peak traffic hours
Held at the Raj Niwas, the meeting was attended by Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Principal Secretary (Health), Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Medical Superintendents of Lok Nayak Hospital, GTB Hospital and DDU Hospital and Commissioner, St. John Ambulance Brigade.
“The L-G was informed that to meet the requirement of medical assistance in congested areas and also to tackle congested roads during peak traffic hours, there is a need to deploy FRVs [two-wheelers] to complement and supplement existing ambulances. These FRVs will be driven by trained paramedics and will carry basic first aid kits, medical and other requisite items,” the Raj Niwas said in a statement.
Chances of survival
FRV paramedics, the L-G was told, will reach the site of requirement, assess the condition, provide first aid, if required, and stabilise the medical condition of the person in need till arrival of the ambulance, if needed, at site.
These will also help in congested areas where four wheeled regular ambulances cannot reach on time, prove useful during peak hours of traffic, have low operation and maintenance cost, and improve response time in addition to increasing chances of survival.
“On the suggestions of the Health Minister and the L-G, it was decided in the meeting that the facility of FRVs will be introduced on a pilot basis in three districts of east, north-east and Shahdara from January. In the first phase, 16 FRVs will be introduced,” the statement said further.