Hospitals, 108 ambulances on alert for Deepavali; Health Minister checks Kilpauk hospital

Tamil Nadu’s 108 ambulance network has been readied to handle emergencies during Deepavali, and the Health Minister inspected arrangements at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai ahead of the festival.

Government hospitals set aside beds in burns wards and keep extra doctors on duty every Deepavali, when burns and eye injuries from firecrackers rise sharply, often among children. Kilpauk Medical College Hospital runs one of Chennai’s main burns units.

In an emergency, call 108 for an ambulance or 112 for police, fire and ambulance services together. For a burn, cool the area under running water for several minutes and do not apply ink, toothpaste or ice; for an eye injury, do not rub the eye and go to a hospital at once.