The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday ordered issue of notice to the State government on a PIL petition seeking direction for setting up an ambulance control room headed by a senior police officer and installation of Global Positioning System in all ambulances to ensure easy movement of ambulances in congested roads of the city.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi passed the order on the petition filed by Bharat Punarothana Trust, Bengaluru.
Observing that the State government has to come out with practical solution, the Bench asked the government to file its response stating what measures it proposes to take.
It has been pointed out in the petition that new technology has to be used for better management of traffic to minimise the loss of “golden hour” in traffic in transporting patients to the hospitals while pointing out that one can often see the ambulances stuck in traffic for longer duration causing danger to patient’s life.
“Fundamental right of a patient to secure immediate medical treatment cannot be construed or restricted to situation only when the patient reaches the hospital but also must extend from pick-up point of patient till their designated hospital,” the petitioner has contended.
