tribune news agency
Solan, December 9
Successive state governments have failed to establish a trauma center on the accident-prone Kalka-Shimla National Highway (NH-5). Although two MLAs from Kasauli and Solan have served as Minister of Health and Family Welfare for the past decade.
Data obtained from the police department shows that this year, the Solan Police District has recorded 158 incidents in which 44 people were killed and 226 were injured. The vast majority of the 111 crashes occurred between Parwanoo and Waknaghat. Thirty-four people were killed and as many as 148 were injured.
Dharampur and Solan Sadar police stations had a maximum of 82 accidents, which is also the highest this year with 21 deaths and 85 injuries.
In the absence of any urgent treatment, patients are referred from the Community Health Center (CHC) in Dharampur to MMU and its affiliated Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College and Hospital or to Shimla after initial treatment at a local hospital The IGMC. This is usually fatal in the case of serious injuries requiring immediate first aid and further treatment.
“While the state government boasts that it has allocated tens of millions of dollars worth of funds to improve medical facilities under the national health mission, the medical facilities along the highway lack even basic facilities such as well-equipped laboratories to meet the needs of emergency patients,” Ajay said. Said the resident of Dharampur. He lamented that some villagers had to be rushed to PGI in Chandigarh after a serious road accident as they were not receiving adequate treatment.
Dr Kavita Sharma, Medical Officer, Dharampur Block, said: “Accident patients often come to CHC but due to lack of specialized facilities, they are referred to advanced institutions like MMU medical colleges and hospitals.”
She said a trauma center was badly needed on the highway because of the high accident rate.
