Bhubaneswar, 15th Nov 2013: The Odisha Government had decided to set up a comprehensive pre-hospital emergency medical service with introduction of a fleet of ambulances to cover the entire state in a phased manner. Odisha Emergency Medical Ambulance Service (108 ambulance service) was launched in Bhubaneswar by Hon’ble CM Shri Naveen Patnaik on 5th March 2013.
This initiative facilitated an integrated and comprehensive health care management in the state providing high-end ambulance transport system from the doorstep of the patient to the appropriate care in a hospital. Under OEMAS project, this modern free emergency ambulance service is being run on PPP mode in collaboration with an eminent Mumbai based company Ms. Ziqitza Health Car Ltd.
The aim of this service is to provide quality emergency care transport within the shortest possible time in an emergency, ensure delivery of quality emergency care across the chain of services with a proper emergency management system. The average response time of 108 Ambulance is 20 minutes for urban areas, 25 minutes for semi-urban areas and 35 minutes for the rural areas. These timings have been kept as performance parameters for the service provider.
However, the response time can be made more flexible depending upon the geographical terrain especially in the KBK region where the average time may vary from 45 to 60 minutes. Mapping and defining of strategic positioning of the ambulances with route maps, motorable points, nearer to catch points in case of inaccessible locations are the guiding factors in chalking out the operational parameters of the project.
Round the clock pre-hospital emergency transport care services across the state with agreed response time helped in reducing maternal and child mortality as well as deaths and disabilities providing medical attention within golden hour. The 108 ambulance service has proved beneficial especially for transporting pregnant women in the districts especially in rural pockets.
The number of women being transported to dispensaries, hospitals has been increasing every month. The fleet of 280 ambulances have been assigned the task to take patients to nearby medical units or district hospitals for better treatment in case of road mishap, fire (burn), animal bite, cardiac injuries, paediatric and other emergencies etc. The uninterrupted functioning of the centralized call centre at Bhubaneswar and overall Emergency Response Service ensures that no call goes unattended.
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Similarly in case or Mass Causality Incidence and natural calamities the services of the fleet of ambulances will be quite handy for the administration to deal with the situations. NHAI and Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) have agreed to provide their expertise to 108 Ambulance service whenever their services are required particularly in rainy season and inclement weather.
The ratio of ambulances of one per one lakh population has been kept as per the standard of WHO. The fleet will have both “Basic Life Support’ (BLS) and ‘Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances. The mix of ALS and BLS will be at the ratio of 20:80.There shall be a total of 420 ambulances under the Odisha Emergency Medical Service (OEMAS). The project is being implemented in two phases on the basis of implementation feasibility, equity and need. In the first phase 280 ambulances have been launched covering 15 districts with a focus on the trauma corridor in Odisha across National highways.
All the 15 districts have been covered under the 1st phase of OEMAS, with launching at Keonjhar on 17th of July 2013 by Hon’ble CM. The MoU for the 2nd phase of OEMAS covering the remaining 15 districts (Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Deogarh, Gajapati, Jagatsingpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada and Sonepur) have been signed by the Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. Of Odisha with the CEO of Ziqitza Health Care Limited, in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Odisha on 16th July 2013. The implementation of 2nd phase is expected to be completed by the end of December 2013.
In March 2013, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch is 1844 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was1640. During April, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch is 5696 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was 5232. During May, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch is 9338 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was 8668.
During June, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch was 10858 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was 10245. During July, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch is 17697 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was 16531. During August, total number of calls converted to Ambulance Despatch was 20673 and total number of patients carried in 108 ambulance was 19,514.
Besides our State, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Chhatisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have 108.
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