May 24, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 18, 1429

PESHAWAR, May 23: The provincial government will launch emergency ambulance service, Rescue 1122, as a pilot project in Peshawar on the pattern of Punjab, which will be later replicated in other parts of the province.

The decision was taken at a meeting held under chief secretary Sahibzada Riaz Noor and attended by authorities of the health department on Friday, said a handout. The chief secretary directed the authorities concerned to put in place the rescue service in a month.

He also directed them to broaden the concept of emergency handling in order to effectively meet all sorts of natural and other emergency-like situations and disasters such as earthquake, floods, road accidents, explosions, epidemics etc.

He also constituted a task force and a monitoring committee comprising police, authorities of health, local government, finance, home and civil defence departments, elected representatives and officials of foreign and domestic NGOs to prepare recommendations to evolve an effective disaster-management strategy at the provincial and district levels to minimise life and property losses during disasters.

Earlier, health officials briefed the meeting about the emergency rescue service and strategies evolved by the department. The meeting was told that the health department would establish six centres in the city with a view to reach the site of incident in minimum time.

These stations will be established at the Children Hospital, Haji Camp, Lady Reading Hospital, Rural Health Centre, Nahaqi, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex and the City Hospital, Kohat Road. Similarly, the officials said patients referral mechanism would be established, one each in teaching hospitals and the City Hospital, besides revamping accident and emergency centres in public sector hospitals. Paramedical staff will be imparted training in collaboration with donor agencies to handle emergency situations.

Moreover, 12 ambulances with modern equipment and wireless system will be provided to the emergency units. The NWFP Emergency Act would be promulgated to give legal cover to disaster-related initiatives.