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Bengaluru on Wednesday became the first city in the country to get an ambulance service on two-wheelers. The Karnataka government has taken the novel initiative to launch the Bike Ambulance service to reach out to patients and accident victims stuck in congested city areas. To begin with, the health department has launched 30 motorcycle ambulances, managed by GVK-EMRI.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who flagged off the first Bike Ambulance, said, “This is a new concept. Due to increase in population and dense traffic it is very difficult for a regular ambulance to reach an accident spot and many a time necessary relief does not reach the victims. Bike ambulance reaches faster and provide immediate assistance to victims within minutes of an accident.”
Already, 718 ambulances are there in the city. Bike ambulances will support accident victims within the golden or platinum hour, he said.
The chief minister handed over the keys of the ‘First Responder Bikes’ to EMRI.
The two-wheeled ambulances are equipped with first-aid kits and oxygen cylinders, and the rider will be a trained paramedic with a driving licence. The 30 First Responder Bikes, launched alongside the already existing 711 ‘Arogya Kavacha’ 108 Ambulances, are stationed at hotspots in the city so that they reach accident spots within “Platinum 10” minutes to provide care to the affected, U T Khader, minister for health and family welfare, said.
The department has pressed into service as many as 30 Avenger 220CC bikes, modified into two-wheeler ambulances.
Of the 30 ambulances, 21 will be stationed at strategic locations in Bengaluru, while Mysuru, Mangaluru, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Davangere, Tumakuru, Vijayapura and Shivamogga will get one each.
“The paramedic will reach the spot in 10 minutes and give first aid and start resuscitation measures to save the victim till a four-wheeler ambulance arrives,” Khader said.
Each motorcycle ambulance will carry 40 medical items, including stethoscope, pulse oxymeter, bandages and IV normal saline, apart from 53 basic drugs. The government has spent nearly Rs 2 lakh on each ambulance.
