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On-the-spot Treatment for Accident Victims

DUBAI — Accident victims may soon get on-the-spot treatment from a team of doctors, according to a new life-saving plan being chalked out by Rashid Hospital. Rashid Hospital and Centre of Ambulance Services in Dubai are jointly planning to set up a notification system whereby doctors will be sent on the spot to provide life saving treatment to trauma patients.

“The presence of doctors on an accident spot adds value to the case,” said Dr Abdel Halim Fadl Nasir, Specialist Senior Registrar, Orthotrauma Department at Rashid Hospital.

If implemented, the plan will help save hundred of lives each year in the UAE caused due to traffic accidents.

According to statistics from the Roads and Transport Authority, casualties from road accidents are on the rise with 25 out of every 100 people dying. This figure is three-fold higher than in some Western countries.

Rashid Hospital statistics reveal that while 60 per cent cases treated at the hospital are workers falling from heights, 40 per cent are those involved in traffic accidents.

Currently, paramedics from the ambulance centre administer first aid to accident victims. “In majority of the cases, administering an IV drip or aiding respiration alone does not help. By the time a patient reaches the hospital, his condition has either worsened or he is on the verge of death,” said Dr Nasir.

However, according to the plan, doctors will only be called on the spot to handle severe cases or during the time of disasters.

While in most cases doctors will be flown in a helicopter to the accident scene, the recently launched three hospital buses will aid doctors during a disaster. The buses feature an operation theatre and seating for people with minor injuries for treatment as they are ferried to hospitals. Each bus will also have extra room allocated for paramedics, medical equipment storage, X-ray machines and stretchers.

Globally speaking, an average trauma centre receives between 3-7 polytrauma cases while the Trauma Centre at Rashid Hospital has treated up to 14 cases in a day, said head of the General Surgery department.

“Each patient may need to be operated upon for 10 hours. The operation may also include 3-4 specialists working on the patient with different injuries at a time,” said Dr Faisal Badri, Head of General Surgery Department at 
the hospital.

“So, time is the most crucial factor in saving a patient’s life,” he added.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com