102/108 Ambulance Services which were launched on March 24 in the UT of J&K by Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu provided emergency medical services to more than 2000 patients through Toll Free call number “108” during the lockdown period. Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner (FC), Health & Medical Education Department, J&K informed that this service is being run in collaboration with BVG India Limited and a control room with dedicated 60 lines has been established for providing round the clock services. “This Emergency Response Centre is receiving on an average 150 calls per day for dispatch of Ambulances to shift medical emergency patients including Road Traffic accidents and delivery cases,” he added. The FC said that evacuated patients from the emergency scene/other locations are provided pre-hospital care by trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in these ambulances, which are fully equipped with life saving equipments/ drugs etc. “Another fleet of 300 ambulances are being utilized under JSSK Scheme of NHM which operates through ‘102′ Toll Free number and 116 Critical Care Ambulances have been deployed under ‘108′ across the UT of J&K,” Dulloo said. He said that during the period of lockdown of three weeks, more than 2000 emergency patients have been shifted to Health care institutions, after timely provision of pre hospital care by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in the Ambulances. “The staff deployed in these ambulances is working round the clock to deliver emergency services to the general population and many precious lives have been saved, due to their timely action,” the FC added.
