For the first time in its history, the Indian Railways has joined hands with a corporate healthcare group to provide high quality emergency medical assistance to its passengers.

The Sree Ramachandra Medical Centre at the Chennai Central Station, set up by the renowned Sree Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (SRMC), has started its operations for the last three months in a low profile manner, despite the facility is yet to be formally inaugurated by the concerned authorities.

Dr. Vijayalakshmi Kamat, medical director, SRMC, told Pharmabiz that the two-storied Medical Assistance Booth within the Chennai Central Railway Station premises has facilities for immediate resuscitation of all types of emergencies, provided by doctors and paramedics who have been specially trained in accident and emergency care. Unlike the normal first aid centres, immediate acute care for all medical emergencies is provided at the centre round the clock. The centre has a mobile advanced cardiac care life support system, including an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), besides a well-equipped ambulance ready to take critically ill patients to any nearby hospitals.

The centre offers assessment and treatment of minor, acute and significant medical problems of the travelers, as a doctor and two emergency expert technicians are on duty throughout the 24 hours.

A unique feature of the centre is the facility for immediate online consultation for complex problems with specialists at the Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre. Experts at the hospital can read a computerized electro cardiogram taken at the centre online and immediate medical advice can be given to the on-site doctor at the centre.

At present, the services of the centre are being utilized only by less than a dozen passengers on a daily average, and this could be attributed to the lack of awareness among the passengers on the facilities and services provided at the centre, said Dr.Vijayalakshmi.

She said the centre would soon start value added services like screening programmes for diabetic and eye care, as SRMC considers the centre as a non-profit oriented service to the society, and the charges would be affordable to majority of the passengers.

Though Railways authorities have shown interest to start similar emergency care booths at various railway stations in the country, inadequacy of the SRMC to supply the required quality manpower conforming to SRMC standards is one among the major constrains to venture into similar ventures, said Dr.Vijayalakshmi.

However, SRMC is in the process of working out a major project in similar lines to offer medicare facilities involving airports and similar public places in the country, and it was unripe to elaborate the details, contended Dr.Vijayalakshmi.