A government initiative to helicopter doctors to accident sites has been grounded by bureaucratic bickering over the use of a radio band to facilitate coordination of such operations, government sources said Wednesday.
The initiative, endorsed by the Health Ministry and used on a trial basis in several areas, has proved successful in reducing fatalities.
However, despite having been slated for widespread adoption in April, the plan remains in limbo, with the Fire and Disaster Management Agency refusing to authorize the use of a radio band to allow communication between all staff involved, on grounds that it could hamper operations of firefighters and other emergency medical services.