Bhubaneswar, 09 March (H.S.): The Odisha government is implementing measures to enhance emergency health services by reducing the response time of the 108 ambulance service, the Health Minister informed the State Assembly on Monday.

During the zero hour, Bhandaripokhari MLA Sanjeeb Mallik expressed concerns about delays in the arrival of 108 ambulances. He recounted a recent incident in which he witnessed an accident while traveling nearby. Despite calling the 108 service, the ambulance took a significant amount of time to arrive, prompting the MLA to personally transport the injured to the hospital.

MLA Mallik requested clarification on the standard response time for ambulances and the measures being taken to improve it. He also called for an investigation into the incident to ensure accountability.

In response, the Health Minister acknowledged that complaints about delayed ambulance arrivals have been reported from various areas. He assured the House that the government is taking these concerns seriously and is working to make the 108 service faster and more efficient.

The Minister noted that in the past 18 months, the state government has added 428 new ambulances to the service, significantly enhancing emergency healthcare infrastructure.

He emphasized that, according to regulations, 108 ambulances are expected to reach the incident site within 30 minutes. The government is striving to further reduce this response time. Additionally, all 108 ambulances are now equipped with GPS tracking systems to ensure timely service.

The Health Minister also promised that strict action would be taken in cases of negligence, and all complaints would be thoroughly investigated to maintain accountability and efficiency in emergency response.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda