KCR to launch two-wheeler ambulances

Hyderabad: The Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will launch 50 two-wheelermotorbikes Emergency Medical Services (EMS) that would cater to emergency services in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits during the first week of November. The main objectives are to reduce the response time, gain access to areas inaccessible to ambulance vehicles and improve public confidence in EMS.

According to officials, the Health department has already 108 medical emergency services across the State which has been maintained by GVK-EMRI. They have identified some hurdles to reach the patient’s location due to congested roads and traffic disruptions. Moreover, heavy traffic across the Hyderabad city is making it difficult for the 108 ambulancesto reach the patients immediately.

However, to overcome these hurdles, the Department took the initiative to design a two-wheeler ambulance. In 2016, the Tamil Nadu Government had launched two-wheeler ambulance services that would be positioned in vital junctions in the city. These ambulances could be deployed at mass gathering events, said an official.

The primary task for motorbike EMS is reaching the accident site safely. These vehicles are also called First Responder Bikes (FRB) which will be deployed at traffic intersections, accident spots and congested areas. The locations of the FRB will be changed depending on the peak and non-peak hours and placed closer to accident prone areas.

Depending on the requirements, extension of the working hours need to be reviewed periodically. FRBs are operated by a trained Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

The EMT in FRB reaches the scene and gives the accident victim first-aid till the arrival of four-wheeler ambulance. The emergency technician will communicate to EMT in four wheeler depending on the condition of the patient.He would share the emergency case details with the EMT in four wheeler ambulance for further treatment while transportation. Finally, the four-wheeler ambulance vehicles will continueto take the patient to the nearest hospital.

K T Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development has tweeted, “First Responder Two-Wheeler Ambulance to provide quick first-aid to victims. Another, excellent initiative of the Health Department in Telangana.”

Speaking to The Hans India here on Wednesday, Vakati Karuna, Commissioner of Telangana Health and Family Welfare Department said these two-wheelers would be placed near the accident sites to provide first aid and stabilise the accident victims until the arrival of the four-wheeler ambulance vehicles to rescue the victims.