Abstract
One of the five themes to commemorate India’s 75 years of independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav) is “Resolves @ 75”. The theme aims to strengthen commitments to targets and goals encompassing our shared resolve and commitment to influencing the nation’s progress. The development of a robust Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system in India is a crucial and urgent public health need. Though some progress has been made, significant gaps prevail in accessibility, equity, and efficiency of emergency care across the country. This paper emphasizes the necessity of a standardized, integrated, and equitable EMS framework to address such challenges.
Drawing from successful international models in countries like Brazil, South Africa, and Finland, the paper highlights the importance of embedding EMS within the broader healthcare system, ensuring equitable resource allocation, and strengthening state-level systems through collaboration and the adoption of advanced technologies.
Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the need for a dedicated Emergency Medical Care Act to provide a strong legal and policy foundation for the EMS system. This framework will be crucial for achieving universal health coverage, improving health outcomes, and fulfilling India’s commitments to global health initiatives, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
By prioritizing the development of a robust and equitable EMS system, India can significantly improve its healthcare outcomes, save lives, and build a more resilient and equitable health system for all its citizens.
- INTRODUCTION
There are few things more upsetting than an unplanned death or irreversible handicap brought on by physical assault or unintentional harm. It is especially heartbreaking when an injured patient who may have been saved dies prematurely as a result of a delayed retrieval, poor evaluation, or inefficient treatment. Many young lives are harmed by this, and everyone impacted is denied the “Right to Life” that is granted to them by Article 21[1] of the Indian Constitution.
In the 1950s, the “emergency room” idea was simplistic, frequently staffed by interns or inexperienced employees, and it placed little emphasis on providing specialized care. Emergency medicine (EM) was formally established in the United States after World War II, when the growing need for emergency care brought the system’s shortcomings to light. The American College of Emergency Physicians was established in 1968, and the first residency program started at the University of Cincinnati in 1970.
Dr. Gautam Sen and the Association for Trauma Care of India (ATCI) launched the “Golden Hour Project” in 1982, highlighting the crucial time following a medical emergency, marking the beginning of improvements in emergency medical services (EMS) in India. India’s advancement in modern emergency care began with the establishment of the Society for India’s Emergency Medicine, 2000. In order to improve national emergency care, the Indian government ordered in 2019 that all medical colleges create an emergency medicine department by 2022. Emergency medicine was first recognized as a postgraduate specialty in 2009.[2]
[1] INDIA CONST. art. 21
[2]Misra A, Yadav DC, Kole T. Emergency care in India beyond 75 years of
independence – problems and solutions. J Glob. Health, 13:03015 (2023).