Integrated Clinical Clerkship in Emergency Medicine AY 2021- 2022

Prehospital care minimizes the consequences of acute illness and injury by providing treatment to patients in urgent need of medical care on-site, conducting timely transfers to the nearest medical center, and supporting patients however possible. The lack of health facilities and shortage of health workers makes prehospital care non-existent in many Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA). Patients often need to be transported over long distances to reach a healthcare facility. The laypeople are often left to decide independently whether and where to transfer their patients. The lack of prehospital care negatively affects the outcomes of medical emergencies. Thus, access to prehospital care should form an integral part of the care regime available to the communities. For it to happen, there should be a focus on strengthening the provision of primary care. We need to address the fragmented service delivery brought about by the devolved health system and move towards providing comprehensive and integrated care. We also need to deal with several issues, such as sustainable funding, clinical training, staff recruitment and retention, construction and maintenance of roads, and transport infrastructure.