Chandigarh, February 23: To provide emergency services in congested areas of cities, the Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu on Tuesday flagged off 22 small Ambulances for each district of Punjab.
Disclosing this here today, Mr. Sidhu said that these Ambulances will be used apart from Ambulances running under 108 help-line. These will be helpful for operation in small narrow lanes to ensure quick emergency services to the patients. He said that each van accommodates 5 attendants apart from patient and driver with easy manoeuvrability in city conditions.
The Ambulance is factory fitted with all the essential equipment including foldable stretcher cum trolley, medical kit box, provision for oxygen cylinder with internal lighting and announcement system, he added.
To fulfill the shortage of ambulances in the government hospitals, Mr. Sidhu said that the health department had procured new 180 more ambulances and all 22 Districts have their independent ALS Ambulances (Advance Life Support) which are fully equipped with life-saving equipment such as Ventilators, Defibrillators, Multi-Para Patient Monitor, Suction Machine, Nebulizers etc.
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He said that now, the Health department has a total of 422 Ambulances in its fleet to cover all areas of cities and villages.
The Minister said that these ambulances proved, one of the main pillars to fight the pandemic by reducing the time required for transit of critical patients to required health facilities. He said that at a time when the numbers of positive patients are expected to increase, the addition of these new ambulances will further give a boost to fight the pandemic.
Mr. Sidhu divulged that these ambulances in the State have been deputed at Strategic places and efforts are being made in case of Emergency, Ambulances would reach the place within 20 minutes in Urban areas.