Shimla: Ambulance Service launched under Atal Swasthya Seva has saved 1,404 precious lives of the people calling for the service in different part of the State since the time service had been started in the State. This was revealed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, while addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Atal Swasthya Seva Yojna Control Room at Dharampur, district Solan, estimated to cost Rs. 2.75 crore, today.

Chief Minister said that toll free number for the ambulance service 108 had served over 50 lakh people during its operational time who had called for the service. He said that out of the total calls received 1,50,297 were emergency calls which were accorded top priority and patients rushed to nearest health institutions for further medical examination. He said that since the launch of the service 30,509 urgent calls, rates as save our souls (SOS), were attended and dealt with on top priority. He said that other calls included 9,400 trauma cases, 7,900 cardiac cases. He said that police assistance was also provided to 7,809 people who had called on the toll free number of 108 in addition to the fire alarm calls number at 1,891. He said that the service had been of immense value to the critically ill patients and had been successful in saving precious lives of 1,404 persons during the operation period.

Prof. Dhumal said that the Matri Seva Yojna launched in the State had succeeded in transporting pregnant women to the nearest health institution for safe institutional delivery. He said that trained staff had been deployed in every ambulance to deliver emergency medical aid to the patients being transported to the hospitals. He said that the service had achieved its objective by successfully carrying 868 deliveries in the ambulances itself enroute to the hospitals out of thousands of pregnant women transported from their homes to the hospitals for institutional delivery. He said that all the infants born in the ambulances were hale and hearty. He said that free ambulance and institutional delivery facilities under Matri Sewa Yojna was available to every section of the society irrespective of their economic and social status. He said that the scheme had been instrumental in lowering the infant mortality rate in the State substantially and improve health indicators in the State. He said that the ambulance service was available to people within record time as the call in urban areas was attended to within 15 to 20 minutes and in rural areas from 20 to 30 minutes. He said that ambulance staff had been ensuring that no time was lost in reaching patients to pick them up for transportation to nearest hospitals.

Chief Minister said that training facilities for para medical staff would also be carried at Dharampur control room so that more trained staff was available to take on the increasing demand for quality and prompt health services. He said that an additional fleet of 27 ambulances was being added to the existing strength of 108 ambulances so that entire state was covered with the service by positioning them at reasonable spots to pick up patients within their jurisdiction without any loss of time.

Later Prof. Dhumal addressed people at the site of new bus stand Parwanoo after laying foundation stone of the same, estimated to cost Rs. seven crore. He said that a modern and well equipped self contained bus stand would be constructed to cater to the transportation service requirements not only of the local people but the industrial workers hailing from different parts of the country. He said that every required facility would be available to the commuters within the bus stand campus. He said that quality construction work would be ensured. He also dedicated Parwanoo-Gadayaar road, constructed at a cost of Rs. 5.50 crore to the people of the area.

Dr. Rajiv Saijal, local MLA, welcomed the Chief Minister and thanked him for dedicating and laying foundation stone of developmental projects valued at over Rs. 15 crore. He said that those new milestones would go a long way in meeting the demand of the local people.

Shri Rakesh Kanwar, Mission Director, National Rural Health Mission, briefed the audience about the Atal Swasthya Sewa Yojna.

Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Health Minister, Shri Virender Kashyap, MP Lok Sabha, Smt. Vinod Chandel, MLA, Shri Satpal Kamboj, former MLA, Ms. Sheela Kumari, Chairperson, Zila Parishad, Shri Laj Kishore, Chairman, Jogindra Central Cooperative Bank, Smt. Meera Mohanty, Deputy Commissioner, Shri H.Bist, Superintendent of Police, other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.

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