Dial 102 to avail ambulance help

KOCHI: Now, no one has to scout for medical help in an emergency as the unique and much-awaited centralised call centre system for ambulance service in Ernakulam will be launched next week.

You will get ambulance service at your doorstep by dialling toll-free number 102.  It was in July 2014 that district collector M. G. Rajamanickam had announced the project in partnership with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), which aims at launching a dedicated number for hassle-free hiring of ambulances.

The centralised call centre will identify the location through GPS and  take the patients to the hospital. The project is being implemented with the support of Active Network Group of Emergency Life Savers (ANGELS), an NGO.

“The project is in the final stages of implementation. Training sessions on road safety, life support and accident-free driving have been given to ambulance drivers and the procurement of GPS systems  has been completed. Initially, 30 ambulances are being fitted with GPS  and over 400 vehicles will be brought to the network in a phased manner,” said Dr. M.M. Haneesh, RMO, in charge of the project.

A special committee has been constituted for running the programme. “Our objective is to ensure emergency trauma care to the patients within the shortest possible time,” said Dr. Haneesh. Though government ambulances will also be part of the project, the existing 108 service will be continued.

“The plan was to launch the project a few months after the announcement last year. But it was a laborious process to convince the vehicle owners to join the initiative, organising training classes for them and tendering and purchasing  GPS systems which delayed the project,” an NRHM official said.