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Bike ambulances now in Mangaluru, Ullal

Last Updated 05 May 2015, 18:55 IST

After getting good response for bike ambulance in the State capital, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader launched bike ambulances for Mangaluru and Ullal respectively, here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the response for the bike ambulance would be studied for six months before expanding the area of coverage. To begin with, 32 Avenger 220CC bikes have been modified into two-wheeler ambulances.

About 20 of these have been deployed in parts of Bengaluru where maximum number of accidents are reported.

The bike ambulance services will also be introduced in Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Davangere, Tumakuru, and Shivamogga. To study the response in smaller towns, it has been launched in Ullal.

“The response in Bengaluru has been good. The bike could reach the accident spot within three to five minutes. In fact, victims who have undergone treatment have written back to the health department, lauding the effort,” he added.

Trained staff

“We have trained paramedical staff who are good at riding bikes and are entrusted the task of attending to patients. The service will be managed by GVK EMRI which presently runs the 108 ambulance service,” the minister said.

“Bike ambulance will attend to emergency cases. Nearly 50-per cent of accident cases are ought to be treated on the spot,” he said. Each bike ambulance costs between Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh.

“The GVK-EMRI has identified a few hot spots of accident zones. Accordingly, the ambulance will be stationed to reach the spot in case of any emergency,” he said.  

“About  50 life saving drugs have been packed in the of Rear Top Box of the bike. A Portable Oxygen Cylinder, Glucometer,  Finger tip pulse Oximeter, Nebulizer, Digital BP Apparatus, Laryngoscope,  masks, Roller bandage gauge and cotton rolls are among the medical equipment that the bikes will carry,” he said.

Prashanth from Kalasa in Chikkamagaluru and Tabrez Sheik from Karwar will be riding the bike ambulance in Mangaluru and Ullal respectively.

Prashanth said that he was trained in Bengaluru and has been driving 108 ambulance in Mangaluru for the last few years.

MP flayed

The minister flayed Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje for accusing the State government of postponing gram panchayat polls. “If we had postponed the election, then Karnataka state will not get Rs 3,000 crore under 14th Finance Commission. The MP should not create unnecessary confusion in the minds of the people.”

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(Published 05 May 2015, 18:55 IST)

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