GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK-EMRI), Secunderabad, has taken over the 108 ambulance service in the city from Wednesday. They took over from Ziqitza Healthcare, which had been running the 108 ambulance service since 2006. When the Health Department decided not to extend the contract of Ziqitza, KSMSCL had invited short tenders from firms for operating the ambulance services here and in Alappuzha. The GVK-EMRI had cleared the technical qualification criteria for running the 108 Emergency Ambulance Service, according to the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd (KMSCL). GATI-Kintetsu Express Pvt Ltd and the Indian Institute of Emergency Medical Services, Kottayam, were the other bidders who did not clear the technical evaluation. With a network of fully equipped 43 vehicles, the 108 ambulance service would now provide service in the two districts of the state.
“Presently, it will be just Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha districts. The current tender is only for six months. We will call for fresh tenders later on,” KMSCL managing director Kamalahar said.