HYDERABAD: The 108 emergency response services of Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) were on Friday rolled out to rural areas of the State. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy formally unveiled the ambulances that would cover 22 districts in different phases at the EMRI near Kompally on the outskirts of the city.

EMRI chief executive officer Venkat Changavalli said the State Government was sponsoring two-thirds of the cost for 310 ambulances apart from agreeing to partially fund the operational running expenses. This was after the Government had re-appointed EMRI as the State-level nodal agency to operationalise the Rural Emergency Health Transport Services scheme under the National Rural Health Mission. "We will complete the launch of 310 ambulances in phases by May 2007. In the last 15 months, we have responded to 1.37 lakh emergency calls and saved 6,538 lives. The response time has also been brought down to 34 minutes," Mr. Changavalli said.

Type of emergencies

He also pointed out that the 108 ambulances had seen 56 deliveries on board while the other emergencies included road accidents and even snakebites apart from police and general medical emergencies. Dr. Reddy, pointing out that road accident deaths were more in Andhra Pradesh than any other State, said the Government would strive, along with EMRI, to make the 108 ambulance service a model for other States.

"We want other States to be envious of the services we are extending and we should reach a stage where there will be no better service anywhere in the world," he said.

Health Minister K. Rosaiah, recalling that EMRI had changed the scenario in the State, where emergency services were in doldrums earlier. "If there was an ambulance, there would be no driver and vice-versa. EMRI has changed that situation and quickly too," he said.

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