Last month, a 42 year old Estonian woman died after a heart attack on the Delhi- Goa SpiceJet flight. Though a doctor travelling on the same flight tried to save her, he failed since there was no emergency equipment on board. Just weeks earlier, a man with cardiac issues and asthma died on a SpiceJet Kochi-Delhi flight. The airline has refused to respond to inquiries about whether or not they had a cardiac defibrillator on board. Also known as an automated external defibrillator (AED), this is a life-saving piece of equipment for cardiac emergencies.
In the absence of a defibrillator, the chances of survival decrease by 10 per cent every minute. Yet the guidelines set by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on carrying these machines on board are almost random: They are required on domestic flights based on a "risk assessment" but mandatory for all international flights of two hour duration or more.
Air travel is fraught with risks. The drop in air pressure within an airline cabin during ascent poses risks for those with cardiovascular, respiratory or blood disorders. Dry air and restricted seat space gives rise to muscular and circulatory problems too. Indian airline operators are supposed to follow the DGCA guidelines regarding medical equipment to be carried on board. This includes a general 'first aid kit'; a 'medical kit' with emergency drugs to be administered only by a doctor; and a 'Universal Precaution Kit' for cabin crew members to manage "incidents of ill health associated with cases of suspected communicable diseases." Some of the contents of this "universal" kit are a germicidal disinfectant and a bio-hazard disposal waste bag.
This is all very well, but global data on mid-air deaths shows that these are mostly caused by strokes, heart attacks or asthma. What have germicides got to do with this? Priority needs to be given to having equipment on board to deal with these emergencies and training flight attendants in emergency procedures - how to handle an epileptic fit, allergy attack, heart attack and onboard births. They should know when oxygen is required and when CPR will do the trick. Familiarity with emergency medicines is mandatory.
03/07/11 Ritu Bhatia/India Today
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