State boosts emergency response system

Why in news:

• The Rajasthan state government has recently announced that it is all set to boost the state’s emergency response services by adding 917 ambulances, including 267 new basic life support (BLS), 125 advanced life support (ALS), and 45 motorcycle ambulances.

Key Points:

• The motorcycle ambulances will be a part of the new agreement between the state government and a private firm, GVK-EMRI, for running the government ambulances services.
• The state government and GVK-EMRI have signed a pact to run a total of 917 ambulances. Earlier, the state government had only 34 ALS ambulances.
• For the last eight years, GVK-EMRI has been providing free 108 ambulance response services to the people of Rajasthan with 701 ambulances.
• Now the agreement has been renewed and the number of ambulances will be increased from 701 to 917.
• For the first time, the motorcycle ambulances are being included in the fleet of 108 ambulance response services. A total of 45 bike ambulances will operate to cater to emergency cases.
• Motorcycle ambulances will be deployed at old city areas and populated narrow streets areas where the big 108 ambulances (ALS/BLS) cannot reach.
• The motorcycle ambulances will act as the first responder 24 hours a day.
• Whenever an emergency call is received from an area where the ALS/BLS is unable to reach due to narrow street, the nearest motorcycle ambulance shall be assigned to reach the spot and stabilise the victim or provide first aid till the arrival of nearest ALS/BLS ambulances.
• Ambulances under the 108 emergency response services run by the state government remain available 24x7 free of charge for the people who need ambulances to reach hospitals.
• The 108 ambulances services will be known as the Chiranjeevi Ambulance Yojana, which is expected to revolutionise the emergency care scenario in the state.