Communications Infrastructure Fails During a Disaster

Shillong, Feb 27: Despite the frequent mock drills program by disaster management, which aimed at providing quick support and services. Managing disasters in the State remains poor every time a tragedy strikes, the reality comes to the fore. An official with the West Khasi Hills district administration admitted that lack of well-equipped hospitals in districts and delayed response to accidents due to poor communication facilities often add to the number of casualties. With no facilities in rural hospitals, the seriously injured persons in the West Khasi Hills road accident were rushed to Shillong Civil Hospital and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS). West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Arun Kumar Kembhavi said soon after the accident, he had to arrange ambulances to ferry the injured to hospitals. Twenty of the injured people were brought to Shillong Civil Hospital from Nongstoin Civil Hospital. Ten of them were referred to NEIGRIHMS. While other medical and emergency facilities were available, sources in Shillong Civil Hospital said it does not have a neurosurgeon for which patients with head injury were taken to NEIGRIHMS. “Out of the 20 injured, 10 have suffered head injury and were referred to NEIGRIHMS. They cannot be treated here as they will have to be examined by a neurosurgeon,” hospital sources told reporters.