Despite persistently high road fatalities, Punjab is grappling with serious deficiencies in its emergency medical response and trauma care systems, particularly during the crucial "golden hour" after an accident. The state continues to witness an alarming average of 13 deaths every day on its roads.
Persistent High Toll on Punjab's Highways
Official data reveals a grim picture. In 2023, road accidents claimed 4,829 lives in Punjab. This continues a worrying trend from previous years, which saw 4,756 deaths in 2022, 4,589 in 2021, 3,898 in 2020, and 4,525 in 2019. While the state's rank in total accidents improved slightly to 18th nationally in 2023 from 17th in the preceding four years, the human cost remains unacceptably high.
The data translates to 20.4 accidents and 15.7 deaths per lakh population. National highways remain particularly deadly, accounting for 1,895 fatalities in 2023, nearly identical to the 1,881 deaths recorded on these high-speed corridors in 2022.
Critical Gaps in Emergency Medical Response
A major weak link is the emergency response capacity. Current ambulance response times are deemed inadequate for severe trauma cases, averaging 19 minutes in rural areas and 15 minutes in urban areas. The shortage of specialized vehicles is acute.
As per Indian Public Health Standards, Punjab requires 60 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances. However, the state currently operates only 25 ALS ambulances, leaving a deficit of 35 critical units. While the fleet of 331 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances meets the numerical norm, about 50 of these are at the end of their service life and need urgent replacement to ensure reliable service.
Trauma Care Infrastructure Needs Strengthening
Beyond ambulance services, the trauma care infrastructure itself requires urgent upgrades. Five designated trauma centres in Jalandhar (Level II), Khanna, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Ferozepur (Level III) are not fully functional. They require gap funding to enhance diagnostic capabilities, surgical readiness, and supporting infrastructure to effectively manage serious injuries from road crashes.
Road Safety Council Approves Corrective Measures
Recognizing the severity of the crisis, the Punjab State Road Safety Council recently approved a series of measures to bridge these life-threatening gaps. A significant financial outlay has been sanctioned to bolster the system.
The approved procurements include:
- 35 new ALS ambulances at an estimated cost of ₹13.04 crore.
- 50 new BLS ambulances involving an expenditure of ₹12.29 crore.
- 11 fully automated analysers for rapid diagnostics (₹0.41 crore).
- 100 surgical kits for emergency procedures (₹0.25 crore).
Officials state that these augmentations are specifically aimed at improving response times and treatment capacity during the golden hour. This immediate period after a traumatic injury is critical for medical intervention and is key to reducing preventable deaths on Punjab's roads. The total planned investment to address these gaps stands at over ₹26 crore.
The success of these measures will be closely watched, as the state strives to translate financial allocations into faster, more effective care that can stem the tragic daily loss of life in road accidents.
