KATHMANDU, OCT 10 -
In the wake of Monday’s bus accident in Doti that killed 27 people, the
government hotline for complaint registration received a call about
delayed response of the authorities.
“The government didn’t prioritise the rescue operation as it would have at a plane crash site,” the caller said.
Experts concur that the post accident response during road accidents in
Nepal is “very weak” due to the lack of resources and a proper
mechanism that would allow effective coordination among different
government agencies.
Technical Director of the Department of Transport Management, Sharad
Adhikari said lack of manpower or immediately available doctors and
ambulance service also contribute to fatalities during road accidents.
“The first hour of the crash is extremely important and we need people
there, both with rescue experience and medical expertise, to tend to the
people” he said. “What is happening now is people are rushed in taxis
or tended by people with little medical knowledge.”
Adhikari suggested that health posts along the highways should be
upgraded and doctors should be appointed to deal with medical
emergencies like road accidents. “We need to put up doctors, especially
for the purpose of emergency care, instead of expecting them to come to
the site out of social responsibility,” said Adhikari.
Road accidents killed at least 135 people in 11 days during the Dashain
holidays, which have highlighted the issue of road safety in Nepal. The
Road Safety Action Plan (2013-2020) states that bus accidents along the
long-distance routes are of serious concern accounting for 13 percent
and 31 percent of all fatalities and serious injuries.
According to the Action Plan, the ministry of health is contemplating
on developing a three level of care for crash victims. The action plan
aims to improve the capacity of the health-care systems to provide
emergency treatment and long term rehabilitation for crash victims. It
has outlined five pillars for road safety which includes road safety
management, safer roads and mobility, safer vehicles, safer road users,
and post crash response. The ministry of health has been assigned as
the “coordinating agency.”
But post crash response is not only about medical treatment said, road
safety expert, Padam Shahi. “There are two components of post crash
response—rescue and medical treatment—and there is no proper mechanism
that brings them together.
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