Dial 108 for round-the-clock emergency response service

Dial 108 for round-the-clock emergency response service

Special Correspondent

Arogya Kavacha-108 to cover five districts in the first phase

66 ambulances have begun operations in Bangalore

All calls to 108 are toll-free

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

SOS for all: Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa launching the Arogya Kavacha-108 in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: Now, all you need to do in case of an emergency, like ill health, accidents or fire, is to dial 108. A fully equipped state-of-the-art ambulance will arrive within 20 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in rural areas. The medical staff in the ambulance will not only transport the affected person to hospital, but will also provide pre-hospitalisation treatment free of cost.

Such a round-the-clock Emergency Response Service, titled Arogya Kavacha-108, was launched in Bangalore on Saturday by former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava Day.

The project, which is taken up by the State Government in partnership with the Hyderabad-based Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), will cover five districts — Bangalore, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davangere and Bellary — in the first phase. On Saturday, 66 ambulances commenced their operation under the project in Bangalore. Of this, 25 vehicles will operate in Bangalore while the remaining will be used in the other districts where the service will start in about a fortnight.

In the second phase, the project would be extended to 18 districts with 150 ambulances, by March 2009. The entire State will be covered by the project by March 2010, when 517 ambulances will be pressed into service at a rate of one ambulance for a population ranging from one lakh to 1.1 lakh. The programme will have an Emergency Response Centre, which responds to calls from people in need.

All the calls to 108 are toll-free. After collecting the information over phone, a fully equipped ambulance or fire vehicle will be dispatched to the spot.

These vehicles have been fitted with Geographical Positioning System and Geographical Indication Systems to help locate the geographical position of the emergency scene. The ambulances have been fitted with medical equipment ranging from defibrillators and ventilators to extrication tools, to handle any emergency.

Dr. Kalam hailed the project and said it would help save the lives of victims by quickly reaching the emergency scene. Such an emergency service has helped save about 45,000 lives so far in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa termed the service as one of the important schemes being taken up by the State Government. He called upon the people to make use of it.
Features

Explaining the salient features of the project, EMRI CEO Venkat Changavalli said EMRI has already tied-up with various hospitals and nursing homes to provide free hospitalisation for the first 24 hours until the victim is stabilised.

He said EMRI, which is a non-profit organisation, has been founded and funded by Satyam Computers.