(a) whether the Railways are aware that the first aid facility is not available in running trains as reported in the Hindustan Times dated July 8, 2007;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for the same;
(c) the details of the trains in which first aid facilities are available and the trains in which first aid facilities are not available; and
(d) the corrective steps taken or likely to be taken by the Railways to provide first aid facility in all running trains?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI R. VELU)
(a) to (d) : A statement is attached.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1745 BY SHRI
JASUBHAI DHANABHAI BARAD AND SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU TO BE ANSWERED IN THE
LOK SABHA ON 23.8.2007 REGARDING FIRST AID FACILITY IN TRAINS.
(a)to(d) : All Passenger carrying trains are provided with First Aid Boxes containing essential drugs and dressing
materials and the First Aid Boxes are available with the Guards of all the trains. The frontline staff viz.Train
Superintendents, Train Conductors, Travelling Ticket Examiners, etc. are also trained in rendering first aid.
In addition Augmented First Aid Boxes with wider range of medicines, disposable medical material,
etc. have been provided with the Train Superintendents / Pantry Car Managers of Rajdhani / Shatabdi Express
Trains and on nominated long distance Mail/ Express trains. Services of doctors travelling as passengers are
utilized to attend to passengers who are in need of urgent medical assistance. For this purpose the allopathic doctors
travelling in such trains are provided with 10% concession in the train fare.There is a very well developed system to
send informations to the Station Managers where there is next scheduled halt of the train.The Station Managers have
authority to call the Railway doctor / Govt. doctor / Private doctor to come to Railway Station and to attend the sick
passengers travelling in the train. Necessary medical treatment is being provided.This is being used extensively at
present. Trains can also make unscheduled halts, if necessary, at the stations en-route in extreme emergencies.The
Station Managers have details of doctors, clinics & hospitals of Railways, Government and Private, in the vicinity
of the station, so that their services could be requisitioned, in such situations. In addition, a database has also been
developed regarding availability of the medical facilities of Railway, Government and Private Sector along railway tracks
and at stations en-route, for providing emergency medical care to sick travelling passengers in the Trains and during
Railway accidents.As regards, the news published in Hindustan Times dated July 8, 2007, the matter has been enquired
and enquiry reveals that the First Aid Box was available with the train Guard but the passenger was not ready to get first
aid despite repeated efforts of the Travelling Ticket Examiner (T.T.E.) of the coach as the patient wanted the injection to
be given first, as the finger was slightly crushed. The train was detained at Ghaziabad Railway Station for the First Aid
where the Railway Doctor attended the patient and injection was given after complete First Aid.