Sea-ambulance services essential for fishermen’s safety, says Soumya Swaminathan

CHENNAI: Marine safety must expand to include sea-ambulance services to safeguard fishermen during medical emergencies at sea, MSSRF Chairperson Soumya Swaminathan said on Friday.

Addressing the conclave on Marine Multi-Hazards Services for the Indian Coastline on OMR, Soumya Swaminathan stressed that fishing remains one of the world's most hazardous occupations, second only to firefighting. "When fishermen venture into the sea, they have no life-support systems available in emergencies. Unlike on land, there is no ambulance service at sea. Boats take hours to reach the distressed crew, often with tragic consequences. Like road ambulances, we must create sea-ambulance facilities," she said.

The clinical scientist highlighted the urgent health risks faced by coastal communities due to climate change. Rising temperatures, humidity, and extreme weather events, she noted, severely affect productivity and pose long-term health challenges. "Coastal populations must be studied separately, as their health status differs significantly from that of others. We need technologies, research and collaborative solutions between governments, institutions and NGOs to protect them," she added.

Soumya Swaminathan also underlined the importance of natural safeguards such as mangroves, describing them as more protective than concrete seawalls. "If we do not respect nature and promote blue-green infrastructure, our coastal cities will face dire consequences," she cautioned, urging policymakers to adopt the "One Health" approach linking climate, environment, and public health.

Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hussain, member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), recalled that after the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) emerged as a critical institution in early warning. "Today, we have systems that can deliver alerts even when phones are on silent mode, and in local languages. Such measures saved lives during Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat," he said.

INCOIS Director T Balakrishnan Nair, NIOT Director Balaji Ramakrishnan and other experts also participated in the conclave, which focused on enhancing disaster preparedness and resilience along India's 7,500-km coastline.