SZABIST, ICRC and JPMC jointly organises seminar on Giving Way to Ambulances

KARACHI: A seminar titled “Saving Lives: Legislative Changes for Giving Way to Ambulances” was held at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (jpmc).

It was an awareness session jointly organized by the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST Karachi) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The attendees included representatives of the media, police, traffic police, transport authorities, health department, emergency medical providers and the medical fraternity.The event highlighted the recent amendments made to the Provincial Motor Vehicles Act which makes it mandatory for all motorists to give way to ambulances and other emergency vehicles, failing which the offenders are liable to pay a fine.

This seminar focused on this landmark legislative change that not only impacts patient survival, but also prevents attacks against emergency health care. Speaking on the occasion, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the Minister for Works and Services Department who also held the transport portfolio and worked towards passing the amendments, said, “Passing the law is an important milestone. But this step will translate into safer roads for the injured, the sick and those in distress only if the law is respected and properly implemented. I commend the efforts of the ICRC, SZABIST, JPMC, and the Law and Transport Departments of the Sindh government for this positive legislative change.”

SZABIST faculty Ms. Sana Jafri expressing her views on the Provincial Motor Vehicle (amendments) Act of 2018 she said that fines will be imposed on people if they try to block or obstruct the way of ambulance.**