New Delhi, March 24 : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amrita Hospital to train ambulance workers to prevent road fatalities.

The initiative aims for a stronger emergency response system and spreading awareness, as India records the highest number of road fatalities globally, with approximately 178,000 lives lost each year.

The country aims to reduce road fatalities and injuries by 50 per cent by the year 2030, as per its commitment under the Stockholm Declaration.

'The government has been working dedicatedly with a 4E approach of Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care to reduce the number of road accidents by half. Emergency preparedness remains a crucial step in preventing accident-related deaths and ambulance workers and the police play a vital role in trauma response,' said Ajay Tamta, Minister of State, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

As part of the collaboration, Amrita Hospital will train thousands of NHAI ambulance personnel, private ambulance operators, and Haryana Police Patrol vehicles, on critical interventions for road accident victims and emergency preparedness, with a special focus on highway emergency response.

This initiative is a significant leap in road safety training, ensuring that the right people receive critical life-saving skills.

"India's roads witness alarming fatalities, with the national highways and expressways accounting for 39.2 per cent of road accidents, with two-wheelers being the most affected. Strengthening emergency response is essential to reduce these preventable deaths. Through this MoU, we will train ambulance workers in life-saving trauma care,' said Mohammad Safi, Regional Officer ' Delhi, NHAI.

'Timely medical intervention increases survival rates significantly, nearly 50 per cent of road fatalities can be averted if medical attention is given within the first hour. This partnership ensures continuous skill-building for emergency responders. Quick, well-trained actions can be the difference between life and death,' added Swami Vijayamritananda Puri, from the Hospital.

/IANS