Call for ambulances to have GPS - Busuttil

Labour MP Luciano Busuttil has called on the Health Ministry to install global positioning systems in ambulances to help the drivers find their way when called out on emergencies.

Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Dr Busuttil referred to a case where an ambulance, called to a residence in Vjal il-Ħaddiem in Rabat, Malta, lost its way twice. The avenue was well-known and used by heavy traffic. It also had a number of known landmarks.

He made it clear that even if the ambulance had arrived earlier, the patient would still not have lived. He was raising the point because delays could mean the difference between life and death in emergency cases.

Dr Busuttil also called for ambulance drivers to be familiar with local roads and, in the absence of the GPS, be provided with a copy of the A to Z of Malta and Gozo, which contains updated street maps.