Supreme Court to Address Gaps in Ambulance Emergency Facilities

The Supreme Court has taken a significant step towards addressing the woeful inadequacies in emergency life support facilities within Indian ambulances. On October 10, the court issued a notice to the Centre and other relevant parties following a petition that underscores serious gaps in standards, potentially leading to preventable fatalities.

The petition, brought forward by Saiansha Panangipalli, daughter of renowned surgeon Dr. P Venugopal, and his widow Priya Sarkar, narrates a personal tragedy as the impetus behind the legal action. They experienced firsthand the dire consequences of inadequate ambulance facilities when Dr. Venugopal succumbed en route to the hospital due to a lack of emergency support.

Reports from the National Health Mission and NITI Aayog corroborate the petitioners' claims, revealing pervasive issues such as insufficient equipment and lack of regulation, with many ambulances operating without essential life-saving equipment. The petition seeks the enactment of stringent frameworks to ensure comprehensive emergency support in ambulances nationwide.