BENGALURU: Ambulances getting stuck in slow-moving traffic, delaying timely medical assistance to patients, is commonplace in Bengaluru. Now, a city-based private firm has introduced a dedicated air ambulance service.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah, who inaugurated the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) of Aviators Air Rescue at HAL airport, said this initiative is expected to save several lives. Speaking to reporters at the launch, Aviators Air Rescue managing director Arun Sharma said they are planning to kick-start the HEMS in southern states from January 1, 2017. “We have already stationed H130 Airbus helicopters in three major cities -- Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. We are planning to expand the services across the country with 17 helicopters by 2018,” he said.
“We are charging `9,000 per annum for an individual subscription and `18,000 per annum for a four-member family. The charter cost for a medical jet aircraft is `1.75 lakh per hour,” said Sharma. “We are waiting for Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) clearance to land our air ambulances in public spaces,” he said.
Aviators Air Rescue, which has collaborated with Air
Medical Group Holdings and Airbus Helicopters, has also tied up with several hospitals across the country. The H130 Airbus can accommodate a stretcher and seat three more attendants or para-medical staff in the cabin. It is also fitted with life support equipment like ventilator, defibrillator and cardiac monitor, suction apparatus and syringe pump.
Aviators Air Rescue has also started a dedicated number - 155350 - for people to call in case of a medical emergency or to subscribe for its services.
“Air ambulances will provide medical aid and airlift critically ill patients from one place to another within the ‘golden hour’. It can also be used for transporting organs or medical drugs from one state to another in a short time without the hassle of negotiating road traffic,” said Sharma.
Since many hospitals in Bengaluru don’t have helipads, this may be a hurdle for the service provider. “There will be some challenges since it is a new concept. But we hope that there will be more awareness about this concept which is already popular in foreign countries, said Sharma.