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Police Patrol Interferes in the Functions of Ambulance

June 20, 2006

Police Patrol Interferes in the Functions of Ambulance

Although Ambulance ‘03’ was a great help for poor people at first, population starts to talk about the problems connected with calling the ambulance. The first and main problem is that, ambulance is late for 20-25 minutes adding the fact that patient is not taken to hospital, until filming crew of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is shooting the incident.

Concrete cases of the ambulance being late, is stated quite often. In June 6.7 and 14 three car accidents took place in front of warehouse ‘Tbilisi’, near Freedom Square. Three persons were hit by car, when they tried to cross the road. The three of the cases were similar – the police patrol came to the place of incident immediately. Police officers tried to persuade people that the ambulance was already called.

The ambulance came 15, 20 and 18 minutes late in three of the cases, although being late for 20 minutes could cause the death of the patient. The whole situation is worsened by the fact that ambulance is not allowed to transfer victim to the hospital, without police allowance. Victims themselves, as well as ambulance doctors talk about it in private talks.

Manana Koridze: “4 months before I was crossing the road with my niece, when a car hit her. I was very nervous and could not manage to call the ambulance. They came several seconds before the patrol police. The girl was injured; she lost the consciousness. The doctors said that it was important to immediately take her to the hospital; however patrol police did not allow them to do it, until the shooting crew came. We were waiting for them more then 25 minutes. My niece was lying on the ground unconsciously for 25-30 minutes.  The doctors were also complaining about it, saying that it was not the first case. Police officers did not allow them to take patients to hospital, until TV program ‘Patrol’ filmed it”.

Ambulance doctors do not talk about it openly; they are afraid of loosing their jobs. “Sometimes it is important to shoot the accident. Unfortunately, we have to wait before the crew comes. On occasions we can not even help the victims, before shooting crew comes, however it happens very seldom. Usually in that case we have the problems with victim’s relatives. Often they physically assault us”, - says one of the doctors in private talk.

As it often happens, it was impossible to talk with the press-centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs say that they have not recieved such statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and they do not obey Patrol Police.

“’03’ does not have such order. It is ridiculous not to help patient because of filming. Maybe someone told it to the Ambulance, but it could not be anyone from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. Who will write such an order? As for being not on time – being late for 15-20 minutes is normal. Ambulance needs time to cover the distance,” declared Tamar Tsintsabadze, the head of health program analysis and beneficiaries department.

We tried to check the information in the administration of Ambulance. The deputy director of ‘03’ Levan Turdzeladze said: “If it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital, ambulance should do it, of course, we can not make the patient wait. We have not received such an order and we do not subordinate to the Patrol Police”.

Eka Gulua

 

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