Question : MEDICAL FACILITIES IN LONG DISTANCE TRAINS AND STATIONS

(a) whether the Rajasthan High Court in its judgement has directed Railways to provide medical facilities in the long distance running trains;

(b) if so, the action taken by the Railways so far in this regard alongwith the name of trains selected for provision of such facilities;

(c) whether the Railways also proposes to provide medical facilities at major railway stations; and

(d) if so, the progress made by the Railways in this regard so far alongwith the name of stations selected for the purpose?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI LALU PRASAD)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the Sabha.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 69 BY SHRI P. RAJENDRAN AND SHRI HITEN BARMAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 28.7.2005 REGARDING MEDICAL FACILITIES IN LONG DISTANCE TRAINS AND STATIONS.

(a) to (d) : Yes, Sir. Special Leave Petition has already been filed in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India by North Western Railway on 7.7.2005 against Hon’ble High Court of Rajasthan Jaipur judgement dated 4.5.2005 in the Writ Petition No.5240/1996.

The Hon’ble High Court has ordered that to keep reserve a Coupe’ of four berths in long distance train that shall carry sign board ‘Medical Facilities’ with symbol of Red Cross. Visible symbol of Red Cross shall also be displayed out side the compartment. Team of one Medical officer, one male nurse and one attendant shall board train and travel in it. Oxygen cylinder and other life saving drugs and injections to be kept to provide medical assistance to the passengers free of cost by a competent doctor. Wide publicity to be given.

Chemist facilities to be provided in stations premises keeping in mind the quantum of passengers. Since the orders of the Hon’ble High Court of Rajasthan, Jaipur are difficult to be implemented reasons being requirement of a large number of manpower (doctors, nurse and attendants), infrastructure in the moving train and budgetary allocation, the Ministry of Railways have filed an SLP in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

To manage a sick passenger in running train at present the Train Superintendent/Travelling Ticket Examiner sends information to the next Station Manager of a major Railway Station about the sick passenger. The Station Manager arranges a Railway Doctor to come to Railway Station to attend the sick passenger. On an average about 12,000 calls are attended by railway doctors per year. In case Railway doctor is not available, the Station Manager can call a private doctor to attend the sick passenger. Very serious patients are detrained and transported to nearby hospital for treatment.

Allopathic doctors travelling in train are also given 10% concession in their train fare and in exchange they provide professional services in the train to treat sick passenger. For this, augmented first aid boxes with 76 types of medicines and other medical items are provided in nominated trains.

Instructions have been given to zonal railways to open up Chemist Shop/Chemist corner etc. Already 31 chemist shops and 294 chemist corners have been opened at various railway stations.