BHUBANESWAR: Emergency ambulance services will soon be available across the State to ferry patients from villages and remote pockets to hospitals. The State Government is in the final stages of launching the ‘108’ Emergency Service. The service to be implemented under PPP mode through National Rural Health Mission has attracted about 11 organisations, who have submitted their applications to undertake the programme in the State. Of them seven have been short-listed and forwarded to the High Power Committee headed by Chief Secretary BK Patnaik for final decision. The 108 ambulance service will be launched in the State in phases covering both rural and urban areas. A toll-free number will be made public for availing of the services. People in times of necessity will just have to dial the number and call for an ambulance. The ambulance will reach the address in 10 to 30 minutes. The service has been launched in several states of the country including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. The initiative has been well received across the states and in Orissa it will not only save lives but also give a boost to health services delivery system, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said on Thursday. The Minister dedicated about 10 ambulances to the service of the people. These have been provided by the Mahanadi Coalfields Limited. The ambulances will be deployed at peripheral hospitals. On the occasion, Health Secretary Anu Garg called upon the MCl and Corporates to lend a helping hand in upgrading and improving the health care sector. The Government has started an exercise to construct rest rooms at the hospitals for the benefit of the attendants of the patients. The Government has prepared a detailed plan for ancillary development of the hospitals and private sector should come forward, she said.Among others, MCL Director (Technical) AK Singh and Health Services Director Dr K Nayak were present.
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