Shortage of Medical Amenities in Houseboat

In true sense, backwaters of Alappuzha are the backbone of tourism industry in Kerala but the houseboat
which are used in those backwaters are not maintained in a proper way causing several problems to the on board passengers.

In current times, there are zero arrangements in houseboats or houseboat terminals thus creating a situation in which none of the medical emergencies can be handled.

The houseboats of Alappuzha region are not having any medical equipment so as to overcome any medical difficulties that an on-board holiday maker might face while voyaging through the backwater region. An aggregate of 2500 to 4000 tourists arrive daily in Alappuzha for the houseboat cruises, according to the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

However, in case of any medical emergency it takes more than hours to take a tourist to a hospital which is located in the town of Alappuzha. The major region of backwater tourism industry is Kuttanad and to take a person from the water locked areas of that place is very difficult. 

All houseboats are recommended to carry a first aid kit in order to get a license as per the rules of the port department but almost all of the houseboats in this place have no such kit to provide any type of first aid medical treatment to any of the tourists. 

  

Most of the houseboats here don’t have any provision or sufficient knowledge to oversee first aid to patients in pain and suffering according to an executive committee member of DTPC, R R Joshiraj who is also houseboat operative himself.

He said, “floating speed boat ambulance can easily rush any tourist to hospital without taking too much of time. It will take hours to take a houseboat traveler who is injured to the hospital from the interior regions of the Kuttanad region. To aid the houseboat industry we will ask the state government to establish services of the floating speed-boat ambulance services on the backwaters of Alappuzha.”   

According to Joshiraj, a houseboat or a motor boat takes at least 2 hours of time to reach Punnamada from the backwaters of Marthandam where houseboats are anchored at night time. With the help of a speed boat ambulance tourists can be easily transported to Punnamada within minutes. So, floating speed boat ambulances are crucial for the houseboat industry which can be in problem with the lack of this facility.   

To start a floating speed boat ambulance submit of an application to the state government is very necessary said, DTPC secretary C Pradeep. It will also gratify the houseboat industry in a complete way, he added.  

According to the DTPC secretary, floating speed boat ambulances are a must for the houseboat industry which will facilitate the operators of varied houseboats to take hold of the emergency medical ailments.

For the well sake of the houseboat industry, the establishment or set up of the floating speed boat ambulance are must and should be done in recent time not only to provide the guests of the houseboat with those medical facilities but also to maintain the prestige of the industry which can otherwise be lapse.