Ludhiana, July 19
Prominent city-based psychiatrist and chairperson of the Task Force on Suicide Prevention A.K. Kala was invited by the International Academy of Law and Mental Health to attend its 30th annual conference at Padua, Italy.

At the global conference, attended by professionals from all over the world, Dr Kala's presentation on "Mental Health Legislation for Developing Countries; Problems and Solutions", was highly acclaimed.

In his paper, Dr Kala emphasised that mental health legislation, copied from the West could not be implemented as such in developing countries, because of the shortage of specialist manpower.

Citing authenticated data, he said India had only 3500 psychiatrists for a population of more than 1 billion while countries in Western Europe and North America, had proportionately 30 times more number of psychiatrists.

"This gross disparity makes it difficult, or rather impossible to introduce and implement laws with subsequent violations of human rights. Developing countries should have legislation keeping in view these deficiencies as well as the special resources like families, which these countries have more of, as compared to the West, Dr Kala stressed.

The presentation made by Dr Kala had been subsequently selected by the UK-based journal,” Global Social Policy” for 
inclusion in their forthcoming special edition on globalisation and mental health.

Ludhiana, July 19
Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) here has made elaborate arrangements to provide free retrieval for patients requiring urgent emergency medical aid at site under its Ambulance and Mobike Rescue Services (AMARS).

Those in need of emergency treatment in and around the city can call on 104 and ask for an ambulance to transfer the patient to the emergency and trauma department of the hospital.

Giving this information here today, CMCH medical superintendent Rajesh Paul said the ambulance call centre, situated inside the hospital premises, could be contacted round- the- clock at the special three- digit toll- free number (104) for any kind of emergency like a heart attack, stroke, acute respiratory problem, burns, trauma, fall, poisoning etc. On the proviso of availability, an ambulance shall be dispatched to provide first aid on the spot and transport the patient free of cost to the hospital.

The AMARS service, added Dr Paul, was being run by a team of 17 dedicated ambulance paramedics, who had been intensively trained, with assistance from the UK Ambulance Services, to provide expert pre-hospitalisation management, comprising immediate medical assistance, stabilising the patient and immediate transfer to the specialised emergency and trauma centre.

The service was equipped with two ambulances with equipment such as defibrillator, pulse oximeter, cardiac monitors, portable suction, oxygen cylinders, central air-conditioning system, portable ventilator and specially designed stretcher-cum-trolleys. All emergency medical drugs, dressing splints, spine boards and cervical collars were also being stocked in these ambulances.

According to CMCH director John Pramod, the institution had the state-of-the-art and North India's first emergency and trauma centre.