Following Bandra acid attack, state health department plans to train GRP, traffic constables as they are the first to render assistance to accident victims
As the Bandra acid attack victim recuperates at Masina hospital in Byculla, the state health department is all set to make sure that the Government Railway Police (GRP) officials are trained in basic first-aid, as they are among the first to render assistance to train accident victims. Starting from the last week of May, training sessions will be conducted in different phases by teams from various hospitals.
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Preethi has been scribbling notes for her doctors and relatives to communicate with them. In a note to the doctor, Preethi scribbled, ‘I don’t want to be pretty anymore, doctor. Please let my aunt stay with me’
In the course of performing their duties, GRP officials encounter several train accident victims on a daily basis, and at times, also have to give emergency first-aid treatment and arrange for medical assistance. “On any given day, there are around 20 railway accidents. The GRP officials are the first respondents who treat these accident victims.
If they are trained in first-aid, several people’s lives can be saved,” said a senior official from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS). “It is also extremely important to ensure that while the accident victim is being shifted to the hospital, his or her vital organs should not be damaged. They will undergo training for this as well.”
Since February 15, 2000, doctors from various district hospitals are training traffic police officers posted at 63 traffic aid posts on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in basic first-aid. After GRP officials are trained in basic first-aid, traffic constables in the city will also undergo similar training sessions, said sources at DHS.
Victim stable
Meanwhile, the Bandra acid attack victim Preethi Rathi continues to write notes to her relatives in order to communicate with them. Doctors at the hospital say that though she is responding positively to treatment, her condition is stable but critical.
“She is unable to open her left eye and her oral cavity is severely damaged and swollen. We put her back on ventilator support on Sunday, and at this point, we need to be extremely careful as she is at a risk of contracting infections,” said Dr Sunil Abhyankar, plastic surgeon at Masina hospital.
“On Monday, we fed her cold milk intravenously as her wind and food pipe are still swollen,” added Dr Abhyankar. In a note to the doctor, Preethi scribbled, “I don’t want to be pretty anymore, doctor. Please let my aunt stay with me.”
The victim’s father, Amar Singh Rathi, approached Colaba’s INHS Asvini hospital authorities on Monday morning. Her relatives submitted a written application to the commanding officer of the hospital requesting him to extend the registration deadline till Preethi recovers physically from the acid attack. “We hope the hospital will give her a post that will be suitable for her a month or two later when she is ready to work,” said Amar Singh Rathi.u00a0
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