Dangerously slow

Despite the launch of the Sindh Emergency Service, Rescue 1122 in Karachi, getting hold of an ambulance during an emergency situation is still an uphill task in many areas of the city. Recently, the father of one of my friends was badly injured in an accident on Safora Chowarangi and, although DOW Hospital is nearby, it took more than an hour to get an ambulance and reach the hospital. After calling several ambulance services, both state run and those operated by NGOs, they managed to get hold of an Edhi ambulance. However, it was not well-equipped. The Rescue 1122 helpline was continuously engaged and the operators did not bother to call back.

The local government needs to urgently improve the quality and response times of its rescue services. The Sindh Emergency Service must be given more ambulances and more operators for its emergency helpline so that those who need help are not left waiting for hours.

M Hassan Abbasi

Karachi