Astonishingly Nepalis still prefer to use taxis to get to hospital.
There are countless reasons why people familiar with EMS would opt for an ambulance over a taxi in cases of serious injury or illness. Familiarity is the missing component in Nepal.
Is there anything a taxi can do to stop bleeding? Sterile bandages? How about clearing an obstructed airway? Immobilise a patient with a fracture? Treat shock? Sorry, taxis are for transport only.
FONAS is working to confront the awareness and information gap keeping Nepalis from the emergency pre-hospital medicine they could easily access through the Nepal Ambulance Service.