Mangaluru: Health department ambulances may get the 108 treatment

Mangaluru: Health department ambulances may get the 108 treatment

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 07, 2015:  Minister for health and family welfare U T Khader mentioned, the 108 ambulance service to the needy under the Arogya Kavach scheme with GVK Foundation running it on behalf of the state government has proved well. Now the department intends to give a similar status to its ambulances as well

Known as a person who is frank and fearless, Minister Khader  made an honest assessment of the 800-odd ambulances that are run and maintained by his department.  If we have ambulances, there are no drivers, if there are drivers, there is no fuel, and if everything is in order, vehicle suffers from mechanical breakdown when most needed he admitted, adding that handing it over to an NGO to manage its affairs is the best alternative. 

Ninister Khadar told media if  handed over to an NGO,  departmental ambulances may  at least ensure that their services are made available to people who need them the most.  The department is planning to ensure that services are run on professional lines, just as the 108 Arogya Kavach services are operating across the state, with a state-of-the-art command centre monitoring the movement through GPS devices. 

Out of the 800-odd ambulances, 15 are in Dakshina Kannada district, including three under the supervision of district surgeon attached to the district Government Wenlock Hospital and the rest under the department of health and family welfare. The departmental ambulances are attached to the taluk hospitals and community health centre. Khader said in many cases, the ambulances have ferried medicines rather than people from whom they are primarily meant for.