First aid to be available at all Indian Railway stations in new initiative

The Ministry of Railways India has announced the plan to provide first aid, emergency care and medical facilities at all Indian Railway stations across the country.

This will be included in all passenger-carrying trains, which will carry medical boxes containing a wide range of medicines, dressing materials, consumables, an oxygen cylinder and a delivery kit.

The first aid boxes will be available from the train superintendent, guard, stationmaster and station superintendents and used under the recommendation of an expert doctor – a member of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

This new scheme means that any passenger who may fall sick or get injured during the course of the train journey can contact the railway staff available onboard, or at the stations, to make arrangements for receiving treatment. 

All of the front-line staff deployed in trains and stations, for example the ticket-checking staff, train superintendents, guards, station masters etc. will be properly trained in delivering first aid.

In case of severe medical emergency while travelling, travelling doctors will also be utilised. Such doctors are given concession in the fare and their identity is separately shown in the reservation charts available with the TTE and also displayed in the coach. 

Availability of either a railway doctor or private practitioner for providing medical aid is arranged en-route at the next station if there is not an available doctor travelling as a passenger. Stationmasters maintain a list of railways, governments, private hospitals, clinics and ambulance services in the vicinity of the respective station along with the address, facilities available and contact details to make sure that the passenger in need of medical attention will receive the correct treatment in the correct place.