The Greater Chennai Corporation is yet to get additional ambulances to prevent COVID-19 deaths. Forty ambulances are expected to be added to the existing fleet of 80 vehicles. But the new vehicles, which were supposed to arrive last week, have not been provided yet.
The Corporation reported 17 deaths of COVID-19 patients on Sunday. The city has reported 12,190 active cases, with 1,065 new cases on Sunday. The city has been witnessing at least 20 patients with breathlessness requesting emergency response from 108 ambulances.
The civic officials at a meeting seven days ago with officials managing 108 ambulances and Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project demanded additional ambulance for improving patient transportation. Pointing to the rising number of death of COVID-19 patients caused by “delayed presentation at hospitals”, the civic officials advised action against those ambulance drivers who failed to respond to emergency situations reported by COVID-19 positive patients’ families. The civic officials demanded at least 40 additional ambulances to strengthen the patient transportation in 200 wards of the corporation. The new ambulances with oxygen support were supposed to arrive in the city by July 29. But the ambulances have not arrived yet.
City health officer Jagadeesan said the number of ambulances would be increased in the first week of August.
Redeployment opposed
Public health experts said the more ambulances might be required only after the lockdown was lifted, to handle a peak in COVID-19 positive cases.
At present, most government hospitals in the city received fewer number of patients but the suburbs have reported a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the officials said.
“Providing additional ambulances for Chennai will reduce the number of deaths in the city. But it should not be done by reducing the number of ambulances in suburban areas and other districts of the State. Suburbs have reported a delay of more than four hours for ambulance to transport patients,” said a public health official.
According to data compiled by the Corporation, more than 1,000 active COVID-19 cases have been reported in Anna Nagar, Ambattur, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam and Adyar zones.
The case fatality rate was 2.12% for the city. But zones such as Tiruvottiyur and Teynampet have registered a case fatality rate of around 3%. Officials said such areas require more ambulances to transport COVID-19 patients in time.
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August 03, 2020 at 01:46AM
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Wait continues for more ambulances - The Hindu
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