Development of an improved patient stretcher for emergency care of road accident victims in Uganda

Abstract

Road traffic accidents are the main cause of physical disabilities in the world and are ranked as the 8th leading cause of death globally. According to Uganda Road Sector Support Initiative, Uganda has the second highest rate of road traffic accidents in Africa and the world after Ethiopia. The number of road accident fatalities increased from 2,518 in 2014 to 3,051 in 2017. During these painful events, the road traffic police have the critical task of evacuating casualties from the scene of the accident to the nearest health centre using special vehicles (pickups) for transporting them. The Uganda Police does not have special emergency rescue tools, they only improvise metallic bars to extricate causalities from wrecked vehicles, pull them out and place them on the police patrol truck to be taken to hospital. During emergency rescue and transportation, the patient’s vital signs are not also monitored, and this has led to many of the patients getting health deterioration thus resulting in an increased number of traffic accident-related deaths and disabilities in Africa. This is a problem that still needs to be addressed and therefore the main objective of this study is to design an improved patient stretcher that helps improve the transportation of accident victims while at the same time monitoring the patient’s critical condition. The materials and component selections of the prototype are accounted for in this study. Simulations were done using different loads to analyse for strain, displacement, and factor of safety. Tests were done to evaluate the functionality of the prototype and it was found that the stretcher could support varying weights of patients, fold and unfold within the recommended time range and the pulse-oximeter was able to monitor the patient’s condition, making an alarm in case the patient had a low or high oxygen saturation and heart rate. The prototype was able to achieve the major functional requirements of the stretcher being lightweight, foldable, and able to monitor the patient’s heart rate. From this study, it was noted that it is important to monitor a patient’s oxygen saturation level and heart rate during the emergency rescue of accident victims. Accident rescue teams in Uganda should consider using a stretcher to rescue accident victims as it reduces aggravating further injuries which eventually lead to death.