The Hindu : Front Page : Ambulances for all 14 blocks next month

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Monday, Jun 30, 2008
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Ambulances for all 14 blocks next month

S. Aishwarya

— PHOTO: R.M. RAJARATHINAM

Ready: The ambulances to be deputed in rural areas.

TIRUCHI: All the 14 blocks in the district will receive an ambulance each by next month through the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project (TNHSP). The ambulances, to be fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, will be on call at these blocks.

Joining hands with Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI), a Hyderabad-based emergency service, the project seeks to bring down deaths due to delayed treatments. The ambulances, now stationed at the office of Joint Director of Health and Rural Services here, were among the 198 given by the State Government for the project. These ambulances would be equipped with Geographical Positioning System and Geographical Information System for easy access during emergencies.

A centralised cell for taking calls would come up at Chennai shortly. By dialling 108, a toll-free number, the callers could provide the details and location of the medical emergency. The calls would be routed to the nearest ambulance through GPS.

The patients, officials say, will be shifted to the treatment centres within 30 minutes and treatment for first 48 hours would be given free of cost.

“Phase I of this project had some hiccups as NGOs were roped in from different regions. The second phase of ambulance service in rural areas will make a difference in speeding up medical treatment and utilising the ‘golden hour’ during emergencies,” District Coordinator of TNHSP S. Mohan Raj told The Hindu.

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