Question : MEDICAL FACILITIES IN TRAINS

(a) whether attention of the Railways has been drawn towards a reported recent incident wherein a baby died due to lack of medical care in the Dibrugarh bound Rajdhani train;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Railways are planning to provide comprehensive medical facilities in every train as well as at the railway stations for urgent medical care;

(d) if so, the time by which it is likely to be provided and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Railways to check recurrence of such incidents in future?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY IN PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.198 BY SHRI S. R. JEYADURAI AND SHRI N. S. V. CHITTHAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 06.12.2012 REGARDING MEDICAL FACILITIES IN TRAINS.

(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. On 13.11.2012 a passenger named Shrimati Meera Yadav, Wife of Shri Virender Yadav was traveling alongwith her family on berth number 17 in Coach No. B-6 of Train No.12424 (New Delhi – Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express). Her husband Shri Virender Yadav stopped train at Ghaziabad Station by Alarm Chain Pulling (ACP) and got down from the train with the baby and rushed outside while the passenger Shrimati Yadav stayed at Railway Station. On being contacted by Railway Protection Force of Ghaziabad in connection with inquiry on chain pulling (ACP) the passenger informed that her baby was seriously ill and that her husband had taken the baby to Yashoda Hospital. On return from Yashoda Hospital Shri Virender Yadav informed that his baby was declared brought dead at Yashoda Hospital. As per information provided by the family the child was sick before boarding the train and they did not contact the Station Manager or any other railway personnel at New Delhi Railway Station or on the train or at Ghaziabad Station for medical aid. The passenger was provided necessary help for performing last rites of the child at Gaziabad as desired by him.

(c) to (e) : No, Madam. However, Railway has a system of rendering first aid facilities through First Aid Kits available in the trains and stations to needy passengers. Front line railway staff at the stations and in trains are trained in rendering First Aid. Services of Railway doctors are made available in emergencies at railway stations on demand of the passengers. Services of traveling doctors are also utilized whenever passengers inform of an emergency situation. There is a list of nearby hospitals and doctors with the Station Masters, whose services are also availed in emergencies. In addition, services of Centralized Accident and Trauma Service (CATS) in Delhi as well as similar services in other states and Railway Ambulances are also used.

Railway appropriately responds to any emergency situation. In this particular case the passenger failed to inform any railway personnel.