Ambulances for 108 scheme parked with dealers as NHM fails to get fabricators

RANCHI: Free ambulance service code named 108 which is operational in 19 states of the country has failed to see light of the day in Jharkhand. Government had placed purchase order for 329 ambulances in October 2015 with two motor vehicle companies-Tata Motors and Force Motors, both of which have already supplied the vehicles. National Health Mission (NHM) Jharkhand and health department however refused to accept the consignment and the vehicles are still parked with the dealers.
Government announced to launch the scheme by June 2016 after getting the vehicles fitted with equipment. Tenders were floated thrice, inviting bids from the fabricators to convert these vehicles into ambulances however for different reasons the tender process had to be cancelled. It is the fourth time that tenders have been floated, date for opening of technical bids being September 30.
According to sources purchase order for 289 vehicles was placed with Tata motors while another 40 were being procured from Force Motors. Out of these vehicles 40 are supposed to be converted to Advance Life Support (ALS) and 289 into Basic Life Support (BLS) Ambulances. NHM procured one vehicle from Force and 40 from Tata motors whereas rest of the vehicles are left with the dealers.
Mission director, NHM Jharkhand Dr Amitabh Kaushal said that in absence of fabrication the Ambulances have not yet been rolled out into service. "Once the bidder applied with lower technical specification while once the rate quoted was more than what was permitted by the Centre," he said expressing hope that soon the tenders would be finalised now.
Company representatives of the Motor manufacturers said that the purchase order has led to unnecessary blockage of capital as the vehicles are stranded for around a year now. "We are incurring unnecessary operational cost on upkeep of these vehicles on our campus," said one of the representatives of Force Motors.
People in state were supposed to get free ambulance facility by calling 108 toll free number but in absence of any deadline fixed by health department, confusion continues to prevail as to when the services would be finally launched.