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29 Mar 2024, Edition - 3181, Friday

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They risk their lives for almost nothing

Covai Post Network

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‘Whistle-blower’ A Manoj

In medical emergencies, a person entrusts his life to two people – his team of doctors, and the ambulance driver who races him to the hospital. Even the best doctors in the world cannot save a patient’s life if treatment doesn’t begin on time. This is where the 108 Free Ambulance Service assumes paramount importance.

During medical emergency, the person dials 108. The Communication Officer collects details regarding the nature and location of emergency. Depending on the nature of emergency, the Dispatch Officer assigns appropriate vehicle – ambulance, fire engine, or police van. Trained paramedics in the ambulance begin administering medical care to the patient during transit. The patient is handed over to the duty doctor at the hospital of choice. Typically, this is how the 108 service works.

But, life for the ambulance drivers is far from easy.

Wage discrepancies
The minimum prescribed educational qualification is Class X for the drivers. Until recently, they were paid a basic salary of Rs.6500. It has now been increased to Rs.8500, following protests. The problem is – the Emergency Medical technicians (EMT) who are lower in ranks, are paid Rs.1000 more than the drivers.

Lack of proper shift timing
36 ambulances cover the Coimbatore district. They don’t have proper parking spots. You could sometimes see them parked in tin sheds. Drivers are on 12-hours shift. They do not have fixed lunch breaks. They have to immediately respond to instructions from the head office, pick up the patient and rush him/her to the hospital of choice. If the trip goes beyond their 12-hours shift, they are not paid overtime.

Unpaid bills
Areas like Perur, South Fire Station, and Sulur are not covered by these ambulances right now. The vehicles that were serving these areas were sent for repair and haven’t returned yet. The authorized workshop, Mahalingam Company, is not keen on attending to these vehicles because previous bills remain unpaid. Now, ambulance drivers have been instructed to approach local workshops for carrying out the repairs. If the service bills cross over Rs 500, the amount has to be approved at the Head Quarters and till such time we are forced to run the vehicles irrespective of whether there is a fault in the braking system or any other issue in the vehicle, the drivers rue.

Rude public
Drivers understand the importance of time in getting the patient to the hospital, but motorists on the roads don’t. “Motorists refuse to give us way when we are crossing the signals,” one of the drivers complained. Some even resort to following the ambulances because it helps them move faster.

Drunken driving
The ambulances are most busy during the weekends when the number of drunken driving cases steep significantly. As compared to the number of accidents reported during weekdays, those reported during weekends, especially due to drunken driving is on an upward swing.

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