Goa’s Director of Health Services Dr Sanjeev Dalvi has submitted before the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) that an emergency ambulance had attended to Adv. Satish Sonak within 11 minutes.
In his reply to the complaint over the very appalling state of emergency care in the wake of the death of Adv. Satish Sonak, Dr Dalvi has further stated that the call from the Court at Spaces building where Adv. Satish Sonak had collapsed on 7th April was received by GVK-EMRI 108 Response centre at 11.06 am and that the ambulance reached the site at 11.17am and the Goa Medical College at Bambolim at 11.40am where the doctors at the Casualty examined Satish Sonak while declaring him brought dead. Stating that the paramedics started giving Adv. Satish Sonak CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) till he reached Goa Medical College, Dr Dalvi in his reply has however not stated whether the emergency ambulance was equipped with life saving devices including a ventilator. Responding to the demand that an emergency ambulance be permanently stationed at the very busy Patto Plaza, Dr Dalvi while stating that the ambulance stationed at Porvorim Police Station is quite accessible to Panaji has further stated that nine new ambulances have been purchased by the Government and are undergoing fabrication to be added soon to the 108 fleet. The Dean of Goa Medical College Dr Pradeep Naik in his reply has stated that emergency services are available round the clock and that the casualty department is equipped to handle all emergencies with Specialty doctors available for handling all types of emergencies. Dr. Naik has further stated that in event of any prior notice of emergency patients being shifted to Goa Medical College, all facilities are geared and kept ready while there is no delay in handling the patients. In the complaint to the GHRC while pointing out that on 7th April the 108 Emergency ambulance took 45 long minutes to reach Spaces building at Patto Plaza in Panaji where Adv. Satish Sonak suffered a heart attack, it was further stated that the emergency ambulance was also not equipped with the much required life saving devices which possibly could have helped revive and save the life of Adv. Satish Sonak. Attention of the GHRC was drawn that Article 25 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, to which India is a signatory, provides that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services. Intervention of the GHRC was drawn to ensure that due to the negligence in providing the basic Human Rights, innocent lives are not lost resulting in greater tragedies for individuals, families and the society at large. It has also been demanded that the Chief Secretary, Director of Health Services and the Dean of Goa Medical College be directed to explain as to what steps they plan to take to ensure that prompt and proper emergency services are henceforth provided diligently to save lives. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com
