The State government’s decision to join hands with the Indian Navy for a permanent mechanism to use defence aircraft as air ambulances for organ transport has re-ignited the demand for a marine ambulance service to help stranded fishermen and tourists in need of medical assistance.
Leaders of organisations representing fishworkers feel that the seaplane service promoted by the government could be effectively used to rush victims of accidents at sea to hospital. “In the case of an accident off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram, the victims could be transported up to the Aakkulam lake from where they could be easily shifted to a hospital nearby,” says T. Peter, secretary, National Fishworkers Forum.
A project mooted by the government to establish a marine ambulance service at five major fishing centres has failed to materialise. The State budget for 2013-14 had earmarked Rs.3 crore for the project involving the deployment of specialised vessels equipped with modern medical facilities. The proposal was to provide the marine ambulance service at Vizhinjam, Neendakara, Vypeen, Beypore, and Azheekal ports.
The scene at present
“Calling for assistance from the Navy and Coast Guard to evacuate fishermen at sea requiring emergency medical aid is a cumbersome process, taking precious time. The rescue is often carried out using hired vessels with little or no medical facilities. The marine ambulance service was mooted to address this situation”, says an official with the Fisheries department.
In 2014, the government had invited tenders for the design and construction of a marine ambulance equipped with an intensive care unit. The project, however, has remained in limbo as the bid quotation was found to be too high.
