New Delhi: The capital city is all set to have 150 new fully equipped ambulances and 20 responder (two-wheeler) vehicles in efforts to boost its emergency medical services, the state cabinet decided Wednesday.

"The government is committed to provide pre-hospital emergency medical response services of international standards to Delhi citizens, with at least one ambulance per lakh (100,000) population, which is the recommended norm," Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

The government has undertaken an exercise to explore the feasibility and modalities of expanding ambulance services in the city, she added.

Since 1991, pre-hospital medical emergency transportation and ambulance services have been provided through Centralized Accidents and Trauma Services (CATS), a Delhi government organisation under the Societies Registration Act 1860.

The cabinet has decided to deploy a total of 150 ambulances out of which 141 would be basic life support ambulances and nine would be advanced life support.

In addition to this, another 20 first responder (two-wheeler) ambulances would be deployed to reach difficult and congested areas, a government official said.

The services would be branded and promoted as '102 Ambulance Service - Government of Delhi' and would be restricted to the territory of Delhi.

"It would be ensured that the ambulance reaches the patients/sites within 15-20 minutes. It would also be ensured that the patient is shifted to the nearest hospital within 20 minutes. This would go a long way in overcoming casualties," the official added.

 

Source : ians