Number Theory: Hathras and the gaps in emergency health infra

Among the most important requirements for hospitals when it comes to dealing with a Hathras kind of tragedy is what is called 'surge capacity'.

“This (Hathras) disaster shows how vulnerable we are. We need better infrastructure, more staff, and proper emergency plans to handle such situations”, Dr RK Verma, the medical superintendent at Sikandra Rao Trauma Centre -- it did most of the heavy lifting after tragedy struck in hathras -- told HT a day after one of the worst ever stampede tragedies in the country. An HT analysis of health care statistics and studies shows that Hathras is a grim reminder of the deficiencies in our first response medical infrastructure. Here are four charts which summarise this problem.

Relatives mourn the death of a victim in the stampede that occured during a religious congregation in Hathras on July 3. (PTI Photo)