New initiative by Kerala Government under 'Golden Goal' project for accident victims

A new initiative named 'Golden Goal' has been launched by the Health Department of Kerala, with the primary objective of ensuring that road accident victims are transported to appropriate hospitals without delay. Under this project, government and private ambulance services will be brought under an integrated emergency response network. Health Minister K. Muralidharan stated on Monday that the aim of this project is to increase the survival chances of accident victims by ensuring they receive timely treatment based on the type and severity of their injuries. In the initial phase, this scheme will be piloted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts.

In the first phase of this initiative, the existing Integrated Command and Control Centre for emergency ambulance services will be expanded. Through this centre, coordination will be established between 108 ambulances and ambulances operated by the Directorate of Health Services, the Department of Medical Education, and other government institutions. In the second phase of the project, ambulances operated by private entities and non-governmental organisations will also be included in this network. This initiative has been implemented following the rollout of 335 new 108 ambulances in the state, aiming specifically to strengthen emergency medical care during the critical first hour after an accident. This aims to reduce delays in treatment, coordinate emergency services, and alleviate the financial burden on families.

Under this proposed arrangement, accident victims will be taken not only to government hospitals but also to private hospitals empanelled under the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (KASP-PMJAY). Subsequently, this network will be expanded to other private hospitals willing to join hands with the government in this initiative.

A computer-based dispatch system, GPS tracking, and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping will be utilised in this process, which will help in quickly identifying and dispatching the most suitable and available ambulance from the accident site. Information regarding the victim's condition, vital signs, and injuries will be digitally transmitted from the accident site to the ambulance and subsequently to the Command and Control Centre. Based on the information received, ambulance personnel will be directed to take the patient to the most appropriate hospital. The receiving hospital will also be alerted even before the patient arrives, so that doctors, trauma care teams, surgical departments, and blood banks can make the necessary preparations in advance. This system will reduce the delay in starting treatment and improve the survival rate of accident victims.

The Health Department will coordinate with the Police, Motor Vehicles Department, Fire and Rescue Services, Local Self Government Institutions, State Disaster Management Authority, and private hospitals for the implementation of this initiative. Public awareness campaigns will also be conducted under this project to encourage people to call the 108 emergency number immediately, provide accurate information about the accident site, and handle the injured safely. Under this new initiative, citizen responders, ambulance personnel, call centre staff, hospital trauma care teams, police officers, and Fire and Rescue Services personnel will be honoured.