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New Delhi: The
single-engine plane that was carrying a critically-ill patient
from Patna to New Delhi and crashed in a residential colony in
Faridabad, killing 10 people, was the "first crash in the history
of air ambulances" in India, experts said.
Considered to have
"zero mortality rate so far", air ambulances have been a lifeline
for many, particularly those living in far-flung or remote areas
where better health facilities are difficult to access.
In the northeast, for instance, air ambulances usually make three
to four trips a week. Air ambulances in India also cater to
patients in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East looking to
travel to India for better healthcare.
"Air ambulances have proved to be very effective in saving lives
by reducing the time lost for critically-ill patients in
long-distance journey to the tertiary care centre," Thomas Davis,
consultant at medical emergency service at Max Hospital, told IANS.
"The medium has had zero mortality rate. This turns out to be the
first accident in India that happened due to bad weather," he
said, adding that the hospital had been providing the facility for
the past seven years.
"The transportation medium has been successful for trauma
patients, coma patients, patients with head injuries, cardiac
patients and other critically ill patients," added Davis.
On Wednesday night, Rahul Raj, 20, who had lapsed into a coma
after liver cirrhosis, was being flown from Patna to Apollo
Hospital in New Delhi. The chartered aircraft hired by the
hospital from Air Chartered Services India Pvt Ltd (Acsipl) got
caught in bad weather and crashed into a densely-populated
locality in Faridabad just minutes before it was to land.
Seven people on board the aircraft and three people in the ground
died in the tragedy.
The air ambulance provider company said weather was the "main
reason".
Added V. Krishnan, president of Delhi-based OSS Air, which
provides chopper-services to hospitals: "In my memory this should
be one of the first as this plane was customised for medical
emergency purposes."
Explained Davis: "Corporate hospitals in India do not have any
aircraft-ambulance of their own. So the procedure is to hire it
from the service providers who manage the equipment and nurse
facility and provide logistical support."
The cost of such transportations range from Rs.60,000 to Rs.70,000
per flying hour, he added.
Although experts said the crash would have no impact on the demand
for air ambulances as they were required in "need-based"
situations, many felt the patient's family should be kept informed
about the aircraft chosen and doctors accompanying the patient.
"It is important for the patient's party to finalise details such
as technical details of the aircraft and see if the doctors are
specialised to treat patients before they sign the agreements
proposed by the service provider or the referral hospitals,"
Pradeep Gupta, director of Life Savers Ambulance Services, told IANS.
The company has tied up with private hospitals for domestic and
international air ambulance transportation.
"The frequency of such medical air evacuations is four-five
patients per week. It depends on the seating configuration of the
plane as to how many trained staffers can accompany the patient,
but the norm is to have two doctors, one nurse, one attendant and
a family member," Gupta said.
Earlier, people were not aware of the facilities. But the demand
had grown despite the costs involved.
"Families are desperate to save the lives of their loved ones.
They sometimes take loans to hire our services. These air
ambulances are the improved ones with better equipments and
advanced facilities," he told IANS.
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