MADURAI: Noting that 1,46,71,266 people have benefited from the '108' ambulance services since its inception in 2008, Minister for Health and Family Welfare M Subramanian lauded the vehicle drivers for working day in and day out, at the Tamilnadu 108 Ambulance Labour Progressive Federation's state level conference on Sunday.
"The workers get 12,500 calls each day. During the Covid time, 542 of 1,323 ambulances were used for patients. Around 6.30 lakh people benefited from that. In the last year, 293 new ambulances worth around Rs 102 crore have been added to the service," said the minister.
He further added that the contracts of 2,300 MRB nurses, who were appointed during Covid, will be given charge of various health schemes across the state. Regarding the Covid vaccine stock, Subramanian said the government is well-equipped to tackle the coronavirus variant XBB 1.16. With regard to the Anti-Neet bill, the minister said President Droupadi Murmu should give assent as soon as possible.
The state-level conference was held in view of Chief Minister MK Stalin's 70th birthday celebrations.