EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND ROAD CONGESTION: DEADLY PATH TO HOSPITALS

Abstract

The emergency medical services (EMS) are essential services and time is the crucial factor in saving lives and reducing morbidities. The spatial and temporal differences of EMS accessibility are utmost priority for the assessment, provision and efficient emergency service dispatch in densely populated urban communities of low to middle income countries. The EMS of mega populous cities like Karachi manifests the oblivious of governance to such essential and functional collaboration. The impact of traffic congestion and gridlock on EMS accessibility is significant in areas where there unending development projects, broken road networks and traffic rules are ignored. No steps are taken to clear the congestion and repair the roads in front of hospitals. It calls for the collaboration of EMS and urban development and planning authorities, health care services, disaster management, and ministry of traffic and transport.