Mobile quick response teams ideal for Mumbai, says Patna doctor Dr Vijayshil Gautam
In emergency situations like road or train accidents, fires, floods, earthquakes and other calamities, quick mobile response teams (QMRT) can drastically reduce the number of casualties, says its architect Dr Vijayshil Gautam, head of surgery department at Jay Prakash Narayan All India Institute of Medical Sciences (JPNAIIMS), Patna. Dr Vijayshil, who has a specialisation in Accident and Emergency Surgery and Medicine, spoke to Santosh Andhale at the Indian Science Congress about the success of the Bihar government's QMRT model while delivering a lecture on health and development, and how replicating it in Mumbai would save many lives:
How do quick mobile response teams work?A QMRT will consist of a doctor, a nurse, a paramedical staffer and a police officer above the rank of assistant sub-inspector. The teams provided emergency drugs and instruments like spine stabilizer, bone stabilizer and ambo bag (to assist breathing). Every week, we train a representative from a different district. These in turn have to train their subordinate.
What was the response like in Bihar?We started this programme a year ago in Bihar and got a good response. It picked up slowly but definitely help in tackling emergencies better. It also helped in increasing awareness. The police were trained so they too learned how to handle medical emergencies. Their role is crucial because in any kind of emergency, the police are the first to reach the spot. I am not aware about such a model being used in any other state.
How will Mumbai benefit from QMRTs?This kind of model will be very much useful in city like Mumbai. The city has been witness to terror attacks, train accidents and building collapses. In such a situation, the need of the hour is immediate medical help. Due to traffic, patients often don't reach the hospitals in time. With QMRTs, the patient can receive some treatment on the spot, which can save many lives.
What if another state wants to implement this model?It is not rocket science, we have all the information they need which we can provide any time. Properly implementation of this programme needs some dedication. Executing it is not a difficult task, but someone like a nodal officer has to take the responsibility of handling it.
Do you think there is a lack of trauma care centre in India?We have good tertiary care hospitals. Instead of more trauma care centres, we need to concentrate on the transport of patients to hospitals in an emergency. For this, we need more QMRTs, who are trained to handle emergencies and know how to respond. If the patient is brought to the hospital in proper time, many more lives can be saved.