Guntur: The state government is set to roll out 190 new 108 emergency ambulances across the state. This initiative will ensure that victims of road accidents and other emergencies are shifted to hospitals much faster than before.

According to the tender guidelines issued by the government, the new ambulances have been fully prepared and will soon be flagged off by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav.

The old, poorly maintained ambulances which frequently broke down and required repeated repairs will be replaced with these new vehicles. As a result, patients will receive medical attention within the crucial ‘Golden Hour’, Satya Kumar Yadav said in an official statement. Unlike in the past, the new ambulances have been painted in colors specified under the ‘National Ambulance Code’. During the previous YSRCP regime, the maintenance of 108 emergency ambulances deteriorated severely.

After the coalition government assumed power, it awarded the 108 ambulance maintenance contract in April this year to Bhavya Health Services Pvt. Ltd., selected through a transparent tender process.

As per government regulations, the company spent about Rs.27 lakh per ambulance. The new fleet includes 56 advanced life support and 134 basic life support ambulances. The ALS ambulances are equipped with two ventilators and other critical medical devices, enabling the treatment of severely injured patients during transit.

The system is designed to ensure that emergency calls lead to hospital transfers within an hour, known as the ‘Golden Hour’.

At present, 650 ambulances are operating across A.P.. With the addition of new vehicles and the removal of outdated ones, the total operational fleet will now reach 731 ambulances.

Following the Central government’s national ambulance code, the new fleet adopts a white and red colour scheme, which is now mandatory for all 108 emergency ambulances across the country.