New Delhi: AIIMS probably will be the first government hospital in the country to own a air ambulance and helipad to deliver urgent medical attention to critically ill patients.

The premier institution has asked for a permission from the Civil Aviation Ministry to get a helipad and to start the air ambulance service. The service will be available at the AIIMS trauma centre that has been operational for the past ten months.

"AIIMS is the first government hospital in the country, which has made a provision for a helipad at its newly constructed trauma centre," an AIIMS official said.

The helicopter ambulance will have paramedic staff and a doctor trained to handle critical patients. The staff will be given special training on transporting patients in these choppers, he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued guidelines for helicopter planning, physical characteristics, infrastructure, markings and safety services for construction of roof-top helipads, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said.

He said only after meeting these guidelines, AIIMS would be permitted to operate helicopter services from roof-top. The idea to have an air-ambulance was mooted in 2004 after National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) set up an expert committee to look into the state of emergency services in India.

Source : PTI