Agartala, Feb 20 (TIWN):The aim of providing quality care to the common man has got severely hit by an acute shortage of specialists. Due to severe shortage of specialists in the state eleven sub division hospitals have no specialist of medicine, orthopedic, surgeon, ENT, eye, dental, child and Gynaecologist said the Health Minister Badal Chowdhury in a reply to a written query in assembly.

The state  is yet to have an Emergency Ambulance, at all  primary health centers. According to statement  made by the health minister   thirteen primary health centers have no  ambulance services.   Every primary health centre, he said, is supposed to have at least one ambulance We are planning to have ambulances equipped with all the facilities in future. It will take some time,” he said

Health experts  told TIWN these reporters that vehicles employed as Ambulances don’t qualify to be called as Ambulances. One reason is that these vehicles are not designed for healthcare in emergency situations, but for private or commercial commuting.

 Second, they lack the essential facilities an Emergency Ambulance must have, which include fracture immobilizer splints, stretchers, IV Fliuids, drip sets, First Aid kits, communciation aids, security and rescue equipment, emergency care equipment and supplies, which include litters, airway care, life saving drugs, blood transfusion facilities, ECG machines, ventilation, oxygenation, external cardiac compression, prevention and treatment of shock, emergency childbirth and transportation of newborn infants.

 “An Ambulance is supposed to do what the Casualty Department of the hospital does, but people generally believe it is meant to carry dead bodies. It is not their fault; the health authorities are yet to introduce a fully equipped Ambulance,” said a doctor of GBP hospital, wishing anonymity.