First of its kind Bike Ambulances launched in Karnataka

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, 15 April 2015: The Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah & Health Minister U T Khader has launched Bike Ambulance facility, first of its kind in India on Wednesday April 15, 2015.

 

 

Siddaramaiah Government has fulfilled its promise of launching Bike Ambulances in the state. The two-wheeler ambulances will hit the streets in the State from Wednesday.
The initiative will be implemented through GVK-EMRI, the organisation that is running the 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulance service.

The bike ambulance rider will be a trained paramedic who has a driving licence. “The paramedic will reach the spot in ten minutes and give first aid and start resuscitation measures to save the victim till the four-wheeler ambulance arrives,” Health Minister said.

Each bike ambulance will carry 40 medical items including stethoscope, pulse oxymeter, bandages and IV normal saline apart from 53 basic drugs

 ’As soon as the control room gets information about any accident, information about the traffic situation on that route will be analyzed through GPS. If the traffic is heavy or if it is found that it is out of reach for 108 vehicles, bike ambulances will be dispatched.

Once first aid is provided, and if the injured person is in a condition that he can undertake motor bike travel, he would be taken to the nearest hospital. Otherwise, he would be shifted to the hospital through either 108 ambulance of other vehicle,’ he explained.

He added that being the pioneer of this scheme, Karnataka has taken consultation from all stakeholders before launching the scheme.

Of the 30, 21 will be stationed at strategic locations in the city of Bangalore and one each in the districts of Mysore, Mangaluru, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Davangere, Tumkuru, Vijayapura and Shivamogga.

The government has spent nearly Rs 2 lakh on each of the bike ambulances
Two companies had evinced interest in taking up the air ambulance project for Karnataka. Health department was working at introducing air ambulances in the State by this year end.