KARACHI: While all formalities for a free-of-cost ambulance service in the city have been completed, funds are still awaited to materialise the agreements the government of Sindh had signed with private entities last year.

This point was highlighted during a seminar on ‘Emergency medical services’ organised at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday by Aman Health Care Services.

The speakers informed the audience about the operational and technical aspects of emergency medical services with a focus on the importance of life-saving ambulances in Karachi’s healthcare infrastructure.

They also highlighted the recently signed agreements with the government of Sindh and Patients Aid Foundation (PAF) under which the Sindh government would initially take over 60 Aman ambulances and run them free of cost in the city in collaboration with PAF.

“The agreement was signed in December. All formalities stand completed and we have been requesting the government of Sindh for swift disbursement of funds since then.

“As per last indication (from the government), release of funds is expected by the end of this month, which will be a positive development,” Khaqan Sikander, head of strategic operations, marcomms and partnerships at Aman Foun­dation, said in reply to a question.

The initiative, he pointed out, would be followed by creation of an independent entity under the public-private framework with equal representation from Aman, the government and civil society for expansion of the Aman ambulance model to 200 ambulances in line with Karachi’s requirements and as per government’s commitment by end of 2019.

One of the major challenges Aman ambulance service had faced since its operation, he said, was to make people understand the difference between a regular and a life-saving ambulance.

“We have a system in place to assess the level and nature of the emergency in a quick and efficient manner, which we do with the help of a few questions. Based on this information, we dispatch a nearby ambulance immediately.

“These questions or a training process is in place to prevent further complications and to guide callers through what can be done on the spot (via phone if need be) to help a patient even before the ambulance arrives. Unfor­tunately, people tend to get irritated by these (questions) and fail to understand the importance of this approach,” he explained.

The speakers also talked about the need for establishing a single, fully integrated system which connected all hospitals and ambulances together in order to make it easier for citizens to get help in case of emergencies.

Sharing some data, speakers said that emergencies were reported every two minutes in the city on a daily basis. It was crucial that these emergencies were catered to by life-saving ambulances specifically as these had the facilities and equipment necessary to provide adequate medical attention on the spot.

“The need for expanding emergency medical services in the city, and across Pakistan is urgent. As per World Health Organisation standards, there should be one life-saving ambulance per 100,000 people, and we are far behind meeting this,” said Aman Health CEO Shazina Masud.

Aman Foundation CEO Mujahid Khan also spoke.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2019