Life begins in Kuwait desert again as prep for camping season starts

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MoH affirms readiness to deal with any reports

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 9: Finally after a long time, life has begun in the Kuwaiti desert again, in preparation for the camping season, which is right around the corner. Many young people went out the past two days to sample sites in the north and south of the country in order to set up their camps, as all of them have been longing to break the routine and the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 pandemic, and spend time in nature, reports Al-Qabas daily. The Ministry of Health has taken necessary preparations to deal with reports of various accidents that may occur during the camping season. Amid expectations that the number of camps will increase this year as tents were not set up last season due to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials affirmed the Ministry of Health’s readiness to deal with all reports and injuries as a result of the sporadic accidents that such camps and the roads near them periodically witness, especially with the presence of camps close to the border areas or far from the main roads. Regarding the management plan for medical emergency teams, health officials explained that the Medical Emergency Department is fully prepared to deal with any report it receives, either from the camp goers or from residential areas and internal streets. There are strict instructions to enhance speedy access to the sites of reports, and to try to overcome any circumstances that may arise during the filing of the reports in addition to ensuring the readiness of ambulances on an ongoing basis with the aim of saving the lives of the injured and the wounded, and transferring them to public hospitals as soon as possible.

Allocated
The Medical Emergency Department has allocated points and ambulance centers along highways, borders and land areas, especially in the north and south of the country, which are close to the camping areas allowed by the Kuwait Municipality, including a temporary ambulance point in Sabah Al-Ahmad Heritage Village (Salmi), as well as a point on the Seventh Ring Road, and an ambulance center in Kabd area. Other emergency response points include one each in Bneider, Wafra, Julai’a, the vegetable market in Sulaibiya, Mutla, Abdali, Umm Al-Aish and Shaqaya in the north. These are aimed to quickly respond to any report in those areas or the roads surrounding them, and to prevent the health conditions from worsening for the affected cases.

The officials revealed that the average time taken to reach the reported sites ranges between 8 and 12 minutes in the desert and border areas, in comparison with the geographical spread of ambulance centers and points in the north and south of the country. They affirmed that the medical emergency technicians are trained in the most proper medical treatments to deal with all cases of illnesses and injuries. The officials indicated the availability of support mechanisms for ambulances, such as all-terrain vehicles, in addition to the emergency room and supply cars, scooters, and air ambulances. Regarding the air ambulance service, the officials said it contributed significantly to reducing the time of arrival of the injured to the hospital, as most of the cases that this service deals with are caused by accidents in far and remote areas and the Kuwaiti islands. They added that it speeds up the pace of transporting the injured and saving their lives through direct coordination with the casualty departments in hospitals.

Saving
The officials explained that there is direct communication between ambulances and emergency departments in hospitals before the case reaches the hospital using the TETRA digital communication network. This system contributed to saving the lives of a number of patients. The camping season usually witnesses horrific accidents due to some recklessness, and other accidents particularly during the rains. They stressed the need to stay away from strange objects found in the desert and to avoid approaching them. They also stressed the need for citizens and residents to cooperate with ambulances when they approach any site, so that the medical emergency technicians can reach the site quickly and save the lives of the injured. The officials revealed that some members of the public obstruct traffic, which leads to wastage of time – an important factor for emergency personnel to save the lives of patients. They explained that traffic congestion during peak times are among the most prominent obstacles facing medical emergency personnel before they reach the accident sites in a timely manner. The inaccuracy of the report’s location, whether in desert or residential areas, sometimes leads to delays in the arrival of the ambulance to the sick or injured case.

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