Mid-Day

• Four govt and 13 private hospitals join hands to provide fully-equipped ambulances, which will reach the victim in just 10 minutes

Mumbai, Apr 4: This news will offer succour to road accident victims who often die because they cannot be hospitalised in time. A call to 1298 and an ambulance will reach the victim in 10 minutes.

To ensure the victim gets immediate care, 13 private and four government hospitals came together yesterday to launch Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Trauma Centre (TC).

The patient will be taken to the nearest hospital, from among the pool of 17 hospitals, by special ambulances, which are owned by the EMS conglomeration. 

EMS will begin services from June 1 with 20 ambulances and 50 new ones will be added in a year.

The ambulances will be equipped to handle burn, trauma, casualty and cardiac patients. A doctor, attendant and nurse will be present in each ambulance.

“We will reach the accident spot within 10 minutes and bring the patient to the nearest hospital by ambulance.

The hospitals that are a part of this network will have to admit the patient,” said Dr Gustad Daver, chairman of the EMS board and director of professional services at P D Hinduja National Hospital.

The initial investment for an ambulance is estimated at Rs 20 lakh. The government, hospitals and donors will fund the ambulances, said Dr Daver.

Presently, the non-profit organization, Ambulance Access for All (AAA), runs 10 ambulances in the city on the 1298 help line.

Hospitals In The Forum

Jaslok (Peddar Road), Hinduja (Mahim), Breach Candy (Bhulabai Desai Road), Sir Hurkisondas (Girgaon), Nanavati (Vile Parle), Bombay hospital (Marine lines), Lilavati (Bandra), Life Supporters Institute of Health Sciences (Parel), Wadia Children Hospital (Parel), Rehabilitation Centre, National Burn Centre (Navi Mumbai), B D Patil Parsee Hospital (Cumballa Hill), Fortis (Hiranandani-Vashi), KEM (Parel), Tilak hospital (Sion), Nair (Bombay Central) and J J Hospital (Byculla)