Problems: air ambulance services in india
1. Restrictions by the AAI.
a. Private road ambulances cannot be taken inside the airport, up-to the aircraft for loading and offloading the casualties.
b. No priority given to the medical emergency flights.
c. No airport passes for doctors and other staff working for Air Ambulance Companies.
2. There are no guidelines issued by DGCA. regarding Air Ambulance services.
3. Air evacuation of casualties in India at the present is an expensive proposition due to high price of the ATF (Air Turbine Fuel) and aircrafts. Since this service is not covered by the medical insurance as yet, it becomes very difficult for potential customers to pay for the service. Until such time as this service is brought under the insurance scheme or subsidised by the state govt., it will be difficult for a common man to avail of this life saving facility.
4. There are no helipads at most of the major hospitals in India, but there are open places near these major hospitals where one can land a helicopter after taking permission from the concerned authorities which may take a long time.
5. Several aircrafts are available now for air ambulance duties but there is no denial to the fact that there should be dedicated aircrafts for this purpose, but looking at the cost of buying and maintaining, a venture like this deserves support, encouragement and mobilisation of resources from charitable bodies or corporate houses.
| :: Conclusion |  |
In India the reasons for using air ambulance transport seems very appropriate; namely to provide rapid transport of the patients to specialised centres of tertiary medical care. India being such a large country with nearly 80 % of its population living in the rural area, this type of specialised medical service can save many precious lives, only if there was a health insurance plan available to cover this service for a common man. Air Ambulance services must make efforts to provide all emergency critical care to patients being transported by air of the same level as provided by the ICU ground ambulances. The fact that a patient is being transported by air does not alter his patient status. Our aim should be to provide modern, safe and convenient air transportation to patients, keeping in mind that patients are not cargo, patients are not passengers, and patients are patients.
