KOCHI: Getting emergency medical assistance while travelling on train is often a matter of luck. Many lives are lost as there is a lack of information regarding the nearby hospitals and ambulance facility during train journeys. But the sad tale will be a thing of the past as ‘railyatri.in’, a tech start-up focused on simplifying Indian rail travel experience, has launched a medical emergency feature on their android application ‘RailYatri’. It will enable the users to check vital information regarding medical facilities available near to their location.
“Healthcare has been a longstanding problem for travellers. Thousands of medical emergencies arise during train journeys in our country, yet no one has really thought about solving the problem. It’s heartbreaking to see the loved ones suffering due to lack of information and facilities. Now, it’s time to take care of you and your loved ones’ health during a journey,” says Manish Rathi, CEO and co-founder, RailYatri.in.
Hospital name, contact numbers and the distance from the existing station to the hospital will be available through the mobile application. Besides, the phone number of ambulances will also be available. “The ‘RailYatri’ app uses location of the user and provides list of healthcare facilities available at the nearby railway stations. The information provided through the app is not just limited to hospital names, but to provide direction from station to the hospital, contact numbers of hospitals and ambulance services,” Manish said.
He also said the app is a must for the elderly travellers or those with problems.
“A few days ago, a 73-year-old suffered breathing problems on the train. The fellow passengers quickly informed the authorities about the medical emergency, and help was sought from the next station. Though the officials responded, the patient was left struggling. When the train arrived at the station, the patient was stretchered off and taken straight to a government hospital nearby, only to find that the hospital did not have any attending cardiologist. By now, he was lying unconscious. Good thing was that the patient survived the ordeal,” he said.
Through the app the power of such information turns vital during a medical emergency. So, a word of advice - elderly travellers or travellers with medical condition must travel with RailYatri app on their mobile, he added.