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Need felt for more female paramedics

DUBAI — Female paramedics are better in handling emergency situations, but their ‘physical attributes’ are one reason why their male counterparts still outnumber them in the field.

In reply to a demand from residents of Dubai that a substantial number of female paramedics should be stationed at public places to deal with female-related emergencies, an official from the Unified Ambulance Centre said that it was not always feasible to dispatch female paramedics to emergency situations that required more of ‘physical work.’

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Khalifa Hassaan Al Darrai, CEO of Unified Ambulance Centre (UAC), said that the centre had set up 43 emergency stations in different parts of Dubai to react to emergencies.

“If we receive a call from a place which is nearer to anyone of these stations, then a team of paramedics is dispatched immediately. And it is not necessary that there will be a female paramedic present at any of these stations during that particular emergency,” he explained.

He also said that female paramedics were very active in the field, but in certain situations, it was a better decision to dispatch male paramedics. “I do not see the difference between male and female paramedics during emergency, because both are working to save lives,” he added.

At present, the UAC has a total of 500 paramedics out of which 75 are female employees. “The number is expected to increase soon because a batch of the first UAE national group of paramedics will be joining the centre soon,” added Al Darrai.

However, residents feel that on several occasions, the absence of female paramedics was acutely felt. “This is an Islamic country and I feel that if there is any emergency situation in a public place, then at least, one female member from the paramedic team should be stationed at shopping malls and hotels,” said Hanifa Mahmood, who had to face a similar situation recently.

Says Mayada Alwi, an Arab expatriate housewife, “One of my female relatives passed out in a shopping mall recently. Though the authorities reacted quickly and called the paramedics, I noticed that while my relative was being shifted to an ambulance, her dress was in disarray, exposing her partly. On top of that she was being handled by male paramedics.”

‘We are from a family that take care in observing the Hijab strictly. If my relative knows what happened to her after she fainted she will be very embarrassed. I strongly feel that the number of female paramedics should be increased,” she added.

Says Al Darrai, “There is no restriction on the number of females paramedics being hired, but most of them quit due to family related problems.”