Transport time to trauma facilities in Karachi: an exploratory study

• Published in: International journal of emergency medicine 2008-09, Vol.1 (3), p.201-204
• Main Authors: Channa, Roomasa, Jaffrani, Hira Altaf, Khan, Aamir Javed, Hasan, Talal, Razzak, Junaid Abdul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiology; Brief Research Report; Cardiology; Emergency medical care; Emergency Medicine; Hospitals; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pediatrics; Trauma; Trauma care; Trauma centers
• ISSN: 1865-1372; 1865-1380; 1865-1380
• DOI: 10.1007/s12245-008-0051-1

Background Rapid urban growth in developing countries has outpaced the development of health infrastructure, including trauma centers, leading to potential delays in trauma care. This study was conducted in Karachi, a city of 16 million people in Pakistan. Aims Our aim was to determine the time taken to reach the nearest 24-h emergency care facility (ECF) and the government-designated trauma center (TC). We also sought to determine the availability of supplies and equipment required for “basic” trauma care at these centers. Methods We selected five towns in Karachi that had the highest number of road traffic injuries (RTIs) (as identified through medicolegal records). We then measured the time taken to reach the nearest ECF and the government-designated TC from four compass points within each town. We also asked about the equipment and supplies used in basic trauma care. Results All three TCs in Karachi were located in the selected towns and were within 5.0–10.5 km of each other. The transport times to the 3 TCs were an average of 13.3 min (± 7.1) and to the 16 ECFs an average of 4.7 min (± 2.4) ( p value