In the wake of COVID-19, the Jammu and Kashmir government has put into service 108 ambulances to facilitate the people round the clock.As per an official spokesperson, till date 1653 Covid suspects have been shifted to hospitals for treatment and lives of 4350 COVID patients have been saved. Adequate ambulances have been deployed in every district of the UT to evacuate Covid patients to nearby designated COVID Health Institutions.
These ambulances are having essential drugs to deal with any medical emergency and are fitted with critical life saving equipments like Transport Ventilator, Monitors, Defibrillator and most importantly Oxygen Delivery System (ODS) with specialized stretchers for shifting critical patients.Besides, trained Emergency Technicians (EMT)s monitor the vitals of the patient and provide pre hospital care to the patients in the ambulance and these EMTs are in constant touch with Emergency Response Physicians (ERCP) sitting in the call centre who guide the EMTs as per the condition of the patient till he/she is admitted safely in the Hospital.
Pertinently, Jammu & Kashmir Emergency Medical Services (108-102 Ambulance Service) is an initiative of the Government in Public Private Partnership with BVG India Limited, which is a free of cost service for the general public. This programme was launched in the UT of J&K on 24th March 2020 under which 139 ambulances have been stationed across the UT. Since the launch of this programme, 54396 emergency patients have been shifted to various Health Institutions. The authorities have appealed the general public to take full advantage of this free of cost service by contacting at Toll Free number 108.
