PATNA: In a unique initiative, the health departments of Vaishali and Khagaria districts in Bihar introduced the ‘Dedicated Covid-19 Boat Ambulance” (DCBAs) services to ferry the Covid-19 patients from their homes situated in flooded riverside areas to the nearby community health centres.
To begin with, the Vaishali administration introduced this service between Raghopur and Vaishali via Bidupur and Patna side. Raghopur is now flooded as the Ganga is in spate. A number of people from the area have been tested positive recently.
Similarly, the Alauli block in Khagaria district has started DCBA service for the flooded areas near the Ganga river bank.
According to official sources, while two motorised boats have been converted into ambulances in Vaishali, the same number of boat ambulances are being run in Khagaria district.
In Vaishali, following the direction of DM Udita Singh, the district health department introduced these services on boats equipped with all basic life saving medical facilities including beds, oxygen cylinders, and medicines. The health workers have also been deployed in the boat ambulances with PPE kits.
The ambulances reach patients' house soon after being informed and ferry them to the nearby community health centres.