BHUBANESWAR: As part of the second phase of the state government’s initiative to strengthen emergency healthcare services and facilitate timely access to hospitals, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off 250 ambulances at the Kalinga Stadium here on Tuesday.
The newly-inducted ambulances are part of a larger plan to deploy 428 new vehicles across the state. In the first phase, 150 ambulances were launched on December 23 last year.
The state government has invested around Rs 111 crore from its own resources for procurement of these ambulances.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the government’s priority is to transport patients to hospitals in the shortest possible time, thereby saving valuable lives and reducing mortality. Continuous efforts are being made to make ambulance services more robust, efficient and accessible to all sections of society, he said.
Majhi announced that seamless ambulance connectivity will be ensured from every block to the district headquarters hospitals and from district hospitals to SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack. He also said that under the Biman Yojana, ambulance services will be extended to airstrips at places such as Rourkela and Jeypore to support air evacuation and emergency transfers.
At present, the government operates 866 emergency ambulances across the districts. In addition, 500 special ambulances are providing services under the ‘Janani Express’ scheme for pregnant women and sick infants. These services together act as a critical lifeline for the people, especially in rural and remote areas, Majhi said.
The chief minister further informed that five advanced life support (ALS) ambulances have been deployed at different airports in the state, while two ALS ambulances are dedicated to the Jharsuguda cancer hospital. On an average, more than 5,000 patients are transported daily to government hospitals through the state’s ambulance network.
Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling, Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Health secretary Aswathy S and National Health Mission director Brunda D were present among others.