Pre-hospital care refers to the timely care given by the emergency medical personnel at the site of injury. It aims to provide care that can limit or delay the cascade of events that would otherwise lead to death or lifelong disability. It is a vital part of the overall healthcare system of a country since it improves the chances of survival of those who experience acute life-threatening conditions. Deaths occurring at the first hour of injury are mostly due to a compromised airway, respiratory failure, or uncontrolled bleeding. These are conditions that can be readily addressed by professionally trained prehospital frontliners. These emergency responders are equipped with the necessary know-how to manage the scene, stabilize the patient, and coordinate the transport of patients. Having a system that allows for the quick and efficient response, initial management, and transport of injured patients to the nearest health facility increases the likelihood of survival and improves outcomes for these patients.
The challenge for our government officials and policymakers is to make pre-hospital care and ambulance services accessible especially to the geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas. It is heartbreaking to see people dying of readily treatable diseases just because they do not have access to an ambulance or the distance to the nearest health facility is hours away.