Kerala to launch 48-hour free medical care for accident victims

The Kerala government has decided to draw up a comprehensive trauma care programme to ensure emergency medical assistance for road accident victims. 

A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. Besides the CM, health minister KK Shylaja and secretaries of various departments also took part in the meeting.

As part of the initiative, advanced trauma care facilities would be launched in government medical colleges, district and taluk hospitals and major private medical care institutions. 

A slew of relief programmes, including meeting the initial treatment expenses of the accident victims by the government itself is under consideration, an official statement said. 

Emergency medical assistance would be ensured to each accident victim without charging money from them for the first 48 hours.

"The government will give away the amount for emergency treatment within the initial 48 hours. The plan is to collect the amount back from insurance companies concerned," the statement said. 

The Chief Minister would conduct a discussion with various insurance companies and a detailed plan in this regard would be drawn up after that.

"Treatment should not be denied to any accident victim, brought to hospitals. The practice of providing treatment based on the financial capacity of victims should end," the CM pointed out. 

Pinarayi also directed the private hospitals to meet the victims' initial treatment expenses from the Road Safety Fund. Specially designed ambulance with advanced facilities would be launched to rush accident victims to the nearby hospitals at the earliest, official sources said. 

• Kerala
• Government
• Trauma care programme
• Pinarayi Vijayan