185,000 cases handled by paramedics in 2023
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 9: Director of the Medical Emergency Department at the Ministry of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Shatti revealed that the department dealt with a total of 185,000 cases in the year 2023, of which 128,000 were transferred to hospitals. In a press statement, Dr. Al-Shatti explained that the department dealt with 8,757 road accidents, 808 air ambulance cases, and 94 medical evacuation cases in the past year.
The number of cases transported by air ambulance increased by 100 percent from 404 to 808 in the year 2023. There was also an increase in support for gatherings and public activities by 20 percent from 4,418 in 2022 to 6,662 in 2023. Mock exercises that were conducted increased by 30 percent in the past year to reach 72 in total. The average access time to the reporting site reached ten minutes. The total number of ambulances in the department reached 286, following the introduction and receipt of 79 new cars during the past few weeks.
Dr. Al-Shatti announced the launch of the paperless system in the Operations Unit at the beginning of the new year, and the expansion of the system for receiving reports and directing ambulances, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s plan for digital governance. Regarding the most important future projects in the department, Dr. Al-Shatti said he is looking forward to a qualitative leap that will save time and effort on the level of service for employees and contribute to expansion and patient service through training and application of the paperless reporting system, and better use of the medical guidance system. It will also focus on activating non-urgent reports through the “Sahel” app and adopting communication between ambulances and emergency departments in hospitals.
Meanwhile, Head of the department’s Operations Unit Abdullah Al-Nafees reviewed the department’s most important achievements during the year, including preparing technical specifications for a tender for the maintenance and repair of ambulances, and coordinating with ambulance crews with the cooperation of regional leaders to provide appropriate numbers at peak times, especially the morning period, in addition to participating and coordinating with the relevant departments regarding exercises and other activities. He stressed that the workforce in the department amounts to 247 employees, including 160 employees in the Urgent Operations Division, 77 in the Non-Urgent Operations Division, nine secretarial employees, and one employee in the Follow-up Division. Al-Nafees revealed the receiving of public complaints through the Sahel app, coordinating with the helicopters and the official authorities to participate in the exercises, and activating the electronic communications system from the beginning of this January, in addition to adding the Supply and Support Division to the Operations Unit.
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