Emergency medical services in Pakistan

Last updated

Emergency medical services (EMS) in Pakistan are provided both by the government and private sector, with the latter being main a payment-for-service system. Healthcare falls under the responsibility of provincial governments (Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), except for in the federally administered territories. [1]

Contents

According to the National Health Care Act 2017, every patient has the right to receive life-saving care without advance payment for treatment. Healthcare professionals and establishments are obligated, under all circumstances, to treat an emergency patient. [2]

EMS in Pakistan include pre-hospital emergency care, such as ambulance services. Ambulance services are mostly provided by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), like Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association, with the exception of services like the Punjab government's Rescue 1122. Although the majority of ambulance services in Pakistan are operated by NGOs, the pre-hospital emergency care staff is usually untrained. Most services are unable to provide advanced life support to patients on-site, apart from EMS organizations like Aman Foundation, [3] which have more trained staff. According to Aman Foundation, emergencies are reported every two minutes on a daily basis in Karachi alone, thus there is a greater need to expand emergency medical services in the country. [4] The state of emergency medical services in Pakistan is a cause for concern. Emergency medical services in Pakistan face significant challenges, with many areas experiencing inadequate infrastructure and resources, making the situation concerning.

Emergency ambulance helplines in Pakistan

Ambulance Services Karachi (021) Islamabad (051) Lahore (042) Quetta (081) Peshawar (0521)
Edhi Foundation [5] 115115115115115
Chhipa Welfare Association [6] 10201020 [7] ------
Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services [8] 1021--------
Pakistan Red Crescent Society [9] 10301030103010301030
Al Khidmat Foundation [10] 10231023102310231023
Rescue 1122 [11] --1122112211221122
JDC Welfare Foundation [12] 1024--------

Ambulance services in Pakistan

Edhi Foundation

Edhi land ambulance services

Edhi Foundation operates a fleet of over 1800 land ambulances. [13] In 2013, Raheem Ghani—the official in-charge of Edhi Foundation's 24-hour emergency at Tower—said that the NGO had about 200 Suzuki high-roof ambulances in Karachi, at that time, with more all over Pakistan. According to him, the organization also had 20 Toyota Hiace, 2 Mercedes vans and 4 Toyota Land Cruisers. [14] As of 2017, the Edhi Foundation has had plans to improve its land ambulance services by keeping trained paramedics on board in order to aid patients who are in critical conditions on their way to the hospital. The plan is to increase the number of trained paramedics and ambulance drivers from the original 70 to 80 trained drivers, and recruit more highly trained paramedics. [15]

Edhi air ambulance services

There are 2 aircraft and 1 helicopter to rescue and provide relief to patients in areas struck with natural disasters. They offer airlift services to stranded or injured people in need of immediate medical attention. [13]

Edhi marine ambulance services

Operating 28 rescue boats, the Edhi marine ambulance service provides aid to those in flood-affected areas or drown victims along the Arabian Sea. [13]

Pakistan Red Crescent Society

With a response time of 7 to 10 minutes, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society provides an ambulance service all over Pakistan. A fleet of 12 ambulances—all Toyota Hiace vans [14] —is operated in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. 6 of those ambulances remain standby at the PRCS Headquarters, while the other 6 are placed at different prominent locations throughout the city. Some ambulances are dedicated to a particular treatment, like cardiac ambulances. [14]

The staff in PRCS ambulances is trained to perform first-aid, and the ambulances are equipped with oxygen cylinders and ambulance bags, blood pressure apparatus, clinical thermometers, stethoscopes, pyodine, foldable stretchers, CPR masks, and eye dressing pads. [16]

Sindh Rescue and Medical Services

In December 2018, an agreement was signed between the government of Sindh (Pakistan People's Party) and the Patients Aid Foundation (PAF) to run an ambulance service, free of cost, in Sindh. This will be operated on the basis of the public-private partnership (PPP). [17] A fleet of 85, fully equipped vehicles were used to operate the ambulance service.

According to the agreement, the Sindh government will take over the services of the Aman Foundation [18] and run the ambulances on new name called Sindh Rescue and Medical Services. [19]

The ambulance service is operating in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and Sujawal. [20]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emergency medical services</span> Services providing acute medical care

Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. They may also be known as a first aid squad, FAST squad, emergency squad, ambulance squad, ambulance corps, life squad or by other initialisms such as EMAS or EMARS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramedic</span> Healthcare professional who works in emergency medical situations

A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), most often in ambulances. They also have roles in emergency medicine, primary care, transfer medicine and remote/offshore medicine. The scope of practice of a paramedic varies between countries, but generally includes autonomous decision making around the emergency care of patients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Certified first responder</span> Person who provides pre-hospital care for medical emergencies

A certified first responder is a person who has completed a course and received certification in providing pre-hospital care for medical emergencies. Certified individuals should have received much more instruction than someone who is trained in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but they are not necessarily a substitute for more advanced emergency medical care rendered by emergency medical technicians and paramedics. First responders typically provide advanced first aid level care, CPR, and automated external defibrillator (AED) usage. The term "certified first responder" is not to be confused with "first responder", which is a generic term referring to the first medically trained responder to arrive on scene and medically trained telecommunication operators who provide pre-arrival medical instructions as trained Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMD). Many police officers and firefighters are required to receive training as certified first responders. Advanced medical care is typically provided by EMS, although some police officers and firefighters also train to become emergency medical technicians or paramedics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abdul Sattar Edhi</span> Pakistani philanthropist (1928-2016)

Abdul Sattar EdhiNI LPP was a Pakistani humanitarian, philanthropist and ascetic who founded the Edhi Foundation, which runs the world's largest ambulance network, along with homeless shelters, animal shelters, rehabilitation centres, and orphanages across Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edhi Foundation</span> Non-profit social welfare programme in Pakistan

The Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare organization based in Pakistan. It was founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951, who served as the head of the organization until his death on 8 July 2016. Bilquis Edhi, a nurse by profession, used to oversee the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. The Edhi Foundation is headquartered in the city of Karachi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia Ambulance Service</span> Ambulance service in British Columbia, Canada

The British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) is an ambulance service that provides emergency medical response for the province of British Columbia, Canada. BCAS is one of the largest providers of emergency medical services in North America. The fleet consists of more than 500 ground ambulances operating from 183 stations across the province along with 80 support vehicles. Additionally, BCAS provides inter-facility patient transfer services in circumstances where a patient needs to be moved between health care facilities for treatment. BCAS also operates a medical evacuation program that utilizes both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Ambulance</span> Provider of pre-hospital emergency care in New South Wales, Australia

NSW Ambulance, previously the Ambulance Service of NSW, is an agency of NSW Health and the statutory provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Midlands Ambulance Service</span> Ambulance trust in England

The West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS UNHSFT) is responsible for providing NHS ambulance services within the West Midlands region of England. It is one of ten ambulance trusts providing England with emergency medical services, and is part of the National Health Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emergency medical services in the United States</span>

In the United States, emergency medical services (EMS) provide out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care for those in need. They are regulated at the most basic level by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets the minimum standards that all states' EMS providers must meet, and regulated more strictly by individual state governments, which often require higher standards from the services they oversee.

Emergency Medical Service in Germany is a service of public pre-hospital emergency healthcare, including ambulance service, provided by individual German cities and counties. It is primarily financed by the German public health insurance system.

Emergency medical services in Australia are provided by state ambulance services, which are a division of each state or territorial government, and by St John Ambulance in both Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhipa Welfare Association</span> Humanitarian aid and charity organization in Pakistan

Chhipa Welfare Association, commonly known as Chhipa, is a Pakistani non-profit welfare organization founded in 2007 by Ramzan Chhipa. It is headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JDC Welfare Organization</span> Pakistani non-governmental organisation

Jafriya Disaster Management Cell Welfare Organization (JDC), commonly known as JDC Foundation Pakistan, is a welfare and non-governmental organization (NGO) mainly operating in Pakistan. It was established in 2009 by Syed Zafar Abbas Jafri and some like-minded youths in Karachi. Sibt-e-Jaafar Zaidi was also one of its founding members, he stayed an active member of JDC until his assassination in March of 2013. JDC welcomes volunteers from all walks of life and it prides itself on not discriminating against members based on their beliefs, political or social backgrounds. Rehabilitation activities and medical emergency services provided by JDC mainly cover the Sindh province. Currently, the organization has expanded its activities all across Pakistan with its policy that where there is a victim of any disaster he/she should be helped simply on humanitarian basis without discrimination on the basis of race, religion or sect.

Saylani Welfare International Trust is a non-government organization (NGO) focusing primarily on feeding the poor and homeless. It was established in May 1999 and is headquartered at Bahdurabad, Karachi, Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramzan Chhipa</span> Pakistani philanthropist and social worker

Muhammad Ramzan Chhipa is a Pakistani philanthropist and social worker based in Karachi, Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aman Foundation</span> Non-profit trust based in Karachi, Pakistan

The Aman Foundation is a non-profit trust based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was established in 2008 by Arif and Fayeeza Naqvi. The foundation aims to improve healthcare and education in Pakistan through direct interventions and grant-giving initiatives to high-impact organizations.

National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD); (Urdu: نيشنل انسٹيٹيوٹ آف كارڈيو ويسكيولر ڈيزيزز) in collaboration with the Government of Sindh are a chain of health care centers located in Sindh, Pakistan.

Sanjay Gangwani is a Pakistani politician who is an elected member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh and a close associate to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. He is the son of a technocrat, Engr. Dr. Murlidhar. P. Gangwani, who in his career span of 37 years has served as the Chairman of SCCP, President of (FEISCA) Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia, President of IEP, Board of Director at World Federation of Engineering Organizations, Chairman (SAARC) South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Engineering Council, Board of Director at Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Board of Governor Lahore University of Management Sciences, Board of Director, Board of Advisory (IMechE) Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Patron-in-Chief, Board of Governor PIMSAT, Board of Governor University of EAST, Board of Governor Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Board of Director (IChemE) Institution of Chemical Engineers and Convener of Pakistan Engineering Council and the advisor to President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain. Engr. Dr. M.P. Gangwani was a highly decorated officer and known as the man of crisis in the government of Pakistan and rose to be the only Non-Muslim to serve on the highest grade in the Civil Service of Pakistan, as a top BPS-22 grade bureaucratic officer and conducted in the Hall of Fame of 2009 as the Luminaries of the Land and named Who's Who of Pakistan and the recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz for his outstanding achievements both in professional and social career.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan is part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Pakistan on 26 February 2020, when two cases were recorded. On 18 March 2020, cases had been registered in all four provinces, the two autonomous territories, and Islamabad Capital Territory, and by 17 June, each district in Pakistan had recorded at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.

Ayesha Chundrigar is a Pakistani animal welfare activist, entrepreneur and journalist. She is founder of the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation, a non profit animal rescue organization based in Karachi, Pakistan.

References

  1. ↑ AKBARI, ATHER; RANKADUWA, WIMAL; KIANI, ADIQA (2009). "Demand for Public Health Care in Pakistan" (PDF). The Pakistan Development Review. pp. 141–153. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  2. ↑ "A BILL" (PDF). senate.gov.pk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  3. ↑ "JPMA - Journal Of Pakistan Medical Association". jpma.org.pk. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  4. ↑ "Need of integrated ambulance system urged for saving lives in Karachi". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  5. ↑ "Edhi Welfare Organization – Serving Humanity in the Spirit of All Religions". Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  6. ↑ ali. "Chhipa Ambulance". Archived from the original on 2019-04-11. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  7. ↑ "Welfare org starts emergency rescue services in twin cities". Daily Times. 2019-04-08. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  8. ↑ "Contact Us". www.siehs.org. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  9. ↑ "Contact Us". Pakistan Red Crescent. 2016-01-25. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  10. ↑ "Contact Us – ALKHIDMAT FOUNDATION PAKISTAN". Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  11. ↑ "::: Rescue 1122 Official Website :::". www.rescue.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  12. ↑ "JDC Welfare Organization, Pakistan". jdcwelfare.org. Archived from the original on 2019-07-07. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  13. 1 2 3 "Ambulance Service – Edhi Welfare Organization". Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  14. 1 2 3 Newspaper, the (2013-06-09). "Ambulance services filling gaps in health sector". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  15. ↑ "Edhi ambulances to soon have trained paramedics on board". The Express Tribune. 2017-04-10. Archived from the original on 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  16. ↑ "Emergency Ambulance Service – 1030". Pakistan Red Crescent. 2017-03-14. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  17. ↑ Ghori, Habib Khan (2018-12-19). "Agreement signed for free ambulance service in Karachi". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  18. ↑ "Inauguration of the Sindh Peoples Ambulance Service". www.theamanfoundation.org. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  19. ↑ "Sindh govt to launch ambulance service with 85 existing vehicles". www.thenews.com.pk. 2018-12-18. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  20. ↑ "Sindh Rescue and Medical Services launched in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta and Sujawal". Sindh Integrated Emergency & Health Services. Archived from the original on 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.