Campaign cuts road deaths

Traffic accidents declined noticeably in 20 days in November after the launch of the traffic campaign, a senior official said.

Khalifa Hassan Bin Darrai, Executive Manager of the Unified Ambulance Centre, said the ambulances attended to 820 traffic accidents from November 1 to 20 compared to 967 traffic accidents in the first 20 days of October.

The campaign is under the orders of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who ordered traffic officials to come down hard on reckless drivers.

"The difference is more than 140 accidents in 20 days, which means the campaign is achieving positive results and I believe it will decline more with the continuity of the campaign," he said.

The Unified Ambulance Centre strives to provide better and fast services for residents living in a dynamic city like Dubai.

The Unified Ambulance Centre was set up in Dubai following a law issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

According to law No 13 (2006) with the establishment of this centre, both Dubai Police's ambulance section and the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) gave up their responsibilities, obligations and rights to the new centre.

Before the Unified Ambulance service, Dubai Police had their own ambulances that attended to accidents, while Dohms ambulances attended to hospital patients.

The centre also offers consultations and prepares strategic plans related to ambulance services in coordination with the concerned parties inside or outside the country.

"Currently we have ambulances distributed on 53 points in various locations of Dubai which include the new projects, as well as the University City, Al Faqa and Leh-bab," Bin Darrai said.

The Unified Ambulance Centre offers the first responder, ambulance motorbikes and the Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (Mica) services.

The centre has six first responder vehicles, two (Mica) and four ambulance motorbikes.

The first responder service, a 4x4 vehicle, offers first aid during emergencies.

It was introduced in July 2005. The goal of the first responder is to reduce the response time by getting to the scene as soon as possible and saving the time and effort taken by a fully equipped ambulance to reach the scene. It is followed by an ambulance.

The Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (Mica) started in November 2005. It is specialised in transferring patients suffering from heart diseases and critical cases and the patients can be given the needed care in the ambulance itself.

There are four ambulance motorbikes, two covering Naif and two covering Al Rifaa, which can reach narrow places. A paramedic reaches the scene with first aid on the bike.

"We will increase the ambulance points," he said. He said their current average response time is eight minutes, while the international response time is 15 minutes.

"One of our future plans include adding an ambulance for premature babies and infants. ... once it is ready, it will be at Al Wasl Hospital," Bin Darrai said.