With an objective to further strengthen the ambulatory care services across the State, the Government has procured a fleet of 157 ambulances ( 136 with Basic Life Support and 21 with Critical Care support) involving a cost of Rs 20.36 crore for deployment in various health institutions and on strategic locations along the National Highway.Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today handed over the keys of 3 Critical Care Ambulances and 136 Ambulances with Basic Life Support to the concerned authorities and flagged off these from Nagrota for onward destinations. The delivery of remaining Critical Care Ambulances will be met within next couple of months.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the Government is committed to strengthen the infrastructure facilities in the health sector across the State to ensure better medicare to the patients at their doorstep and procurement of ambulances is a major step in this direction.
The procurement of Critical Care Ambulances was a long pending requirement of the department, which will help tremendously in meeting the emergencies in case of road accidents on National Highway and evacuating the critical patients in disasters and border firings. He lauded the specifications of the Critical Care Ambulance and said that these will play the role of mini ICU and provide immediate medicare to the serious patients while shifting them to the hospital. He called upon the concerned functionaries of the health department to make optimum use of these ambulances for the patient care.Prominent among those present on the occasion included, Managing Director, J&K Medical Supplies Corporation, Dr Yashpal Sharma, Director Family Welfare, Dr Baldev Sharma, Mission Director, NHM, Dr. Mohan Singh, Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr. Gurjeet Singh, Director State Motor Garages, Mr. Zakir Choudhary.