COIMBATORE: First responder bike services, which were introduced across the state in 2016 to help reach patients quickly in areas that remain inaccessible to ambulances, have been withdrawn from several regions across the state without prior notice, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have alleged.
According to the state health transport department data, 25 first responder bikes, including two from Coimbatore region, are now out of service, accounting for more than half the fleet of vehicles inducted in 2016. The EMTs have also alleged that many of these first responder (FR) bikes have been declared unfit for service and steps have not been taken to deploy new or additional vehicles.
The first responder bikes were introduced to bypass heavy traffic and reach narrow, unpaved, or disaster-hit areas to provide immediate life-saving care and stabilise patients until a standard Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance could reach them.
108 Ambulance Workers Union general secretary R Rajendran said, "The bike ambulance service was launched in 2016 to reach patients quickly in locations that regular ambulances cannot access easily, such as hilly areas and congested parts of cities. The aim was to provide first aid during the 'Golden Hour' and increase the chances of saving lives in emergencies. However, the service is now being phased out in several districts.”
According to sources from EMRI GREEN Health Services, which operates the 108 ambulance service in Tamil Nadu, around 45 FR bike ambulances were inducted in 2016. More than half of them, around 25, are now out of service based on reports from the Tamil Nadu State Health Transport Department. Only around 20 remain in service across the state, and employees have alleged that the state government has not taken any steps to replace the vehicles.
In Coimbatore district alone, bike ambulances were operating at four locations — Peelamedu, Kavundampalayam, Pollachi and Ukkadam. Two more FR vehicles were deployed at Sholayar Nagar and Nedugundra in the Valparai hill region. However, a few months ago, the vehicles at Pollachi and Peelamedu were withdrawn from service. Employees said the withdrawal, especially at Pollachi, was done without any prior notice and has affected services.
Employee representatives said stopping a life-saving service solely based on the number of emergency calls undermines public welfare and defeats the basic purpose of emergency medical services. "Timely first aid is often the key factor that saves a patient's life. The service should not be judged only by call volume," they said.
They have urged the authorities to consider the intent behind launching the FR bike ambulance service and to immediately restore all the withdrawn ambulances for public use to ensure people's safety.
According to authorities, there are 66 ambulance vehicles being operated under the 108 service in the district. This includes four FR vehicles, two neonatal care vehicles, 13 Advanced Life Support ambulances, 39 Basic Life Support ambulances, and four each of Patient Transport Vehicles and hearse vans.
District-level in-charges for the 108 ambulance service said that the decision to deploy additional FR vehicles at existing locations rests with the government, and that the matter has already been brought to the government's attention.
