VIJAYAWADA: In a significant step toward women’s empowerment and maternal healthcare, Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav announced on Tuesday that the State government is initiating measures to appoint female drivers for the newly upgraded 102 ‘Thalli-Bidda Express’ ambulances.
Speaking after launching 102 advanced ambulance services at the Narasaraopet Area Hospital, Palnadu district, he emphasised that women are excelling across all sectors, and driving should not be an exception.
He revealed that the operating consortium, comprising Vidya Veda Foundation and Srinivasa Tours & Travels, submitted a proposal to deploy female drivers, which the government is actively considering.
The Minister highlighted that the government is establishing an integrated, end-to-end healthcare system by linking 102 services (maternal and child care from pregnancy to delivery), 108 (emergency medical response), and 104 (village-level mobile testing and treatment) to bring healthcare directly to citizens’ doorsteps.
A total of 500 new 102 vehicles are being inducted statewide, with 300 launched in the first phase on Tuesday (including 50 flagged off in Narasaraopet) and another 200 scheduled for rollout within two months.
These upgraded vehicles feature air conditioning, six airbags, convenient footrests, GPS tracking, and SOS emergency buttons.
Detailing broader healthcare sector reforms, Satya Kumar noted that the 108 emergency fleet is being expanded from 602 to 733 vehicles, including 170 equipped with Advanced Life Support (ALS) systems to reduce response times across urban, rural, and tribal regions.
Additionally, 104 Mobile Medical Units are now offering 41 free diagnostic tests at the village level, integrated with the ‘Sanjeevani’ digital platform for follow-up care.
The Minister also announced that nearly 12,000 recruitments have been completed across medical, nursing, and paramedical categories under the current administration, leading to a noticeable rise in outpatient, inpatient, and surgical volumes at government facilities like the Narasaraopet Area Hospital.
Hitting back at opposition critics who alleged inflated spending on the 102 fleet, the Minister clarified that operational costs naturally reflect higher vehicle procurement prices and modern safety features such as AC, six airbags, GPS, and real-time tracking systems.
He alleged that under the previous YSRCP regime, while fewer than 300 vehicles were operational out of a mandated 500, payments were drawn for the full fleet, whereas current operations are tracked in real time via GPS.
Rebutting claims regarding the stoppage of ‘NTR Vaidya Seva’ (formerly Aarogyasri), the Minister clarified that the scheme was never halted, only renamed, noting that the current government spent approximately Rs 7,000 crore in two years serving an average of 14.5 lakh beneficiaries annually, compared to Rs 9,000 crore spent over five years serving 8.2 lakh annually under the previous administration.
Addressing allegations surrounding Mega DSC teacher recruitment, the Minister reiterated HRD Minister Nara Lokesh’s stance, challenging the Opposition to present tangible evidence of irregularities for an open debate rather than spreading misinformation through ineligible individuals.
The launch event was attended by Health Commissioner KVN Chakradhar Babu, District Collector Krittika Shukla, Narasaraopet MLA Chadalavada Arvind Babu, NHM State Project Manager J Vijayalakshmi, and public representatives.
Ranganadha Babu, representing the 102 operating consortium, noted that vehicle maintenance and repairs are directly tied back to manufacturers by contract to ensure uninterrupted service operations. In a novel gesture that drew applause from locals, Satya Kumar personally drove one of the new 102 ambulances from the Area Hospital to MLA Arvind Babu’s residence.