The reported death of a 22-year-old woman who was declared brought dead at the Sanguem Primary Health Centre (PHC) on Tuesday after an emergency ambulance allegedly failed to reach her for nearly an hour has raised serious concerns about the availability of emergency medical services in Goa. The woman collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital in a private car but was declared “brought dead”. It is learnt that the lone ambulance serving the Sanguem jurisdiction had been diverted to attend another emergency call. Even the best medical service at the hospital is of no use if the patient does not reach the health centre in time. Goa’s official 108 ambulance service reportedly has an average emergency response time of around nine minutes, compared with 14 minutes earlier, following technology-led dispatch systems, strategic deployment and strict mobilization protocols. The government must ensure that every taluka has at least two ambulances, with additional vehicles deployed wherever population, geographical conditions and emergency call volumes demand them. Relying on a single ambulance is clearly inadequate. Backup arrangements are necessary so that one emergency does not compromise another person's chances of survival.
ADELMO FERNANDES, Vasco
