What we do
SaveLIFE Foundation's work is centered around three principal approaches: Enabling community-driven emergency response; Advocating for stronger policies, and; Creating awareness.
1. Enabling community-driven emergency medical response
The most common response to dealing with medical trauma in India is to create ambulance services. It has been observed however that this approach is inadequate as it does not account for the realities of Indian road conditions. Ambulance services in India remain sparse as a result of being costly and capital intensive, and the massive traffic congestion on urban and even rural roads prevents ambulances from promptly reaching victims. SLF has therefore chosen to focus on leveraging existing resources and empowering those first able to reach and stabilize victims—bystanders and police. SLF aims to build a chain of survival by coordinating, linking, and training those already best positioned to provide lifesaving care. The low cost of the model makes it extremely replicable, not just in India but across the developing world where emergency medical response remains a challenge.
2. Advocating for a Good Samaritan Law and strengthening of existing laws on Road Safety
80% of road accident victims in India do not receive emergency care within the Golden Hour after an injury[4], when the chances of survival are highest. Consequently, thousands die in accidents on India’s roads every hour. In the absence of formal emergency services, police serve as first responders in most cases. Yet they lack any training in first aid/Basic Trauma Care and often aggravate injuries while transporting victims. Bystanders are reluctant to provide support to victims for fear of police harassment and very few in India have received training in CPR or other life saving measures.
SLF is therefore advocating for a policy framework that, • Explicitly protects, from any legal hassles, bystanders who help injured trauma victims. • Makes basic trauma care skills training mandatory for Police and school students. SLF is also advocating for strengthening of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 - the principal law around road safety in India.
3. Creating better awareness around road safety and bystander care
Despite the high number of road deaths in India, there’s very little awareness in the country on what drives the problem. As a result, there’s very little action from the community or the government to curtail the problem. SaveLIFE Foundation’s efforts are directed towards creating better awareness on the issue so that more informed decisions and actions can be taken. Some of the awareness activities include:
- Presenting SLF’s perspective at policy forums.
- Social media based awareness campaigns.
- Series of School & College Talks.
- Providing expert panellists to News and TV debate programs focused on the issue.