By Chidera Mordi

A bus accident left multiple people seriously hurt. Due to the inadequate emergency medical service system, the emergency medical service arrived more than an hour late. Since there was no pre-hospital care provided and the nearest trauma center was 80km distant, a victim who had internal bleeding passed away while travelling. This highlights the expediency of a more responsive and well-equipped emergency medical services delivery and system.

An Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is more than just ambulances – it is a comprehensive system that ensures personnel, infrastructure, and equipment are in place to deliver rapid, life-saving responses. In Pakistan, prior to the introduction of integrated EMS, emergency services were fragmented and ineffective. Hospitals lacked trained emergency paramedics, and ambulance services offered only basic transport without medical support. Citizens were deprived of the fundamental right to timely emergency care.

With the establishment of Rescue 1122, Pakistan’s first integrated emergency service model, launched in Punjab in 2004. Starting as an ambulance pilot project, Rescue 1122 has since evolved into a comprehensive emergency response system. Its integrated model unites ambulance, fire, and rescue operations under one platform, guided by international best practices. Through standardized protocols, real-time data sharing, unified command systems, and district-level emergency operation centers, the service has created a robust infrastructure capable of handling diverse emergencies.

To ensure resilience, Rescue 1122 introduced innovations such as a motorbike ambulance service to overcome urban congestion and air ambulance units for remote or time-sensitive interventions. Its fire and chemical hazard response units operate using international standards and technology like the WISER App, while water rescue teams, equipped with sonar systems, boats, and trained personnel, respond effectively to drowning incidents in rural and urban settings. Rescue 1122 even established animal emergency rescue, disaster response teams, and a helpline (1192) to reunite victims with their families.

At the core of this transformation is the Emergency Services Academy, Pakistan’s first professional training facility for emergency responders. Offering advanced simulations and hands-on training, the academy ensures every responder is skilled, prepared, and resilient. Additionally, Rescue 1122 empowers citizens through online and practical emergency preparedness training, while Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) bring lifesaving skills directly into rural communities.

Supported by the Emergency Service Act of 2006, Rescue 1122’s operations are monitored by a Provincial Monitoring Cell to ensure standardized quality management across districts. Despite challenges, such as sustaining the operations of the EMS academy-the service addressed them through international certifications and training partnerships with USAID and the UK’s Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Training Centre.

Rescue 1122 has managed over 15.9 million emergencies with an average urban response time of under 7 minutes, drastically reducing trauma-related deaths and disabilities. Over 800,000 volunteers have been trained in lifesaving skills, and the model has gained international recognition, prompting replication across other provinces.

Pakistan’s experience with Rescue 1122 provides powerful lessons for other low- and middle-income countries: investing in integrated, standardized, and community-anchored EMS systems is not just a health strategy – it is a life-saving revolution.

References

1. Moore L. Measuring quality and effectiveness of prehospital EMS. Prehosp Emerg Care 1999. Oct-Dec;3(4):325-331. Review 10.1080/10903129908958963 [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
2. Rescue 1122. Integrated Emergency Service Model for South Asia: Punjab. Emergency Services Academy, Government of the Punjab, 2023.