GO LEFT, SAVE A LIFE

                                                                

                                                                  GO LEFT, SAVE A LIFE

You know that somewhere, something is wrong in the psyche of this country when a “laal-batti ki gadi” is always given the right of way, unless the said car is an Ambulance.  The attitude towards an ambulance ranges from passive indifference to mild suspicion.  In fact, the belief that a speeding ambulance is acting as a Taxi, is gaining wide popularity.  Drivers on Indian roads rarely, if ever, clear a way for the ambulance.  These same drivers, however, would instantly pull aside if a white ambassador with a siren honks at them.  This attitude poses a serious threat to not only the patients that are being transported by these ambulances but also by the paramedics who are generally bound by a very strict time-frame.  

It is common sense that ambulances are used to either

        A)     Insure quick medical aid to accident victims or ill people and

        B)     Transport critically ill patients to a hospital.

In any case, an ambulance with a siren on signifies that someone is in dire need of help.  But people today choose to oversee this.  It is saddening to see that so many people each day lose their life because they couldn’t get help on time. It is a pity that we need to go to insane length to tell people that an ambulance needs the right of way; to tell people that an ambulance by virtue of being an ambulance caters to people who need immediate medical attention. We Indians love to crib about everything. We crib about the traffic jams, about air pollution, about corruption, about inept political leaders. In the unfortunate event that we ourselves, would have to call upon an ambulance, we crib that it’s never on time. But while on the roads, we rarely give a second thought to the ambulance behind us.  Instead of moving over to give the ambulance way, we crib about how today people use an ambulance as a taxi and how the particular ambulance driver behind us is probably making a quick buck.

Of course, some ambulance drivers do misuse the ambulance and do use it as a taxi, but to block the passage of every ambulance on the suspicion of it not carrying any sick patients is a very dangerous attitude to have.

Timely medical aid is a must for a growing country like India.  So the next time you find yourself blocking the way of an ambulance, go left. You might save a life.   

Saad Ibrahim

BBA Sem 4

ABHIMANYU

[Go Left, Save Life]

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A Social Initiative standing for the Rights of Ambulance 

by students of Amity University, AUUP