Chandigarh: Haryana Health Minister Geeta
Bhukkal on Wednesday said that a new referral transport scheme known
as 'Swasthya Vahan Sewa No.102' would be launched in all
districts of the State from November 14 so as to strengthen
referral transport system and provide quality referral
services within a few minutes of an emergency.
She said that a statewide network of 320 ambulances
has been created in the first phase.
"All ambulances would be fitted with Geographical
Positioning System (GPS). The service of such an ambulance
could be availed by ringing up an easily accessible three
digit toll free phone number '102', which has been made
available in all the districts of the State. This phone number
can be called from any phone by any patient himself or his
relative or any other person for shifting the patient to the
nearest hospital", she said here.
Bhukkal said that control rooms have been established
within the campus of all district hospitals by the respective
District Red Cross Societies for implementation of the scheme.
The call made at phone number '102' would land in
control room where the operator would quickly collect
information from the caller to provide the vehicle, she said,
according to an official release here.
She said that a broadband connection has also been
provided to each control room where the operator would
identify the location of the nearest ambulance to the caller's
location through GPS facility.
"Then the operator would call the driver on his mobile
phone and notify him the address to enable him to reach at the
earliest. The operator would monitor the movement of the
vehicle towards the caller by GPS and monitor it till the
vehicle reaches the medical facility", she said.
The operator deputed in the control room would also
note down the details of the patient, nature of emergency and
would alert the emergency response personnel at the concerned
health facility where the patient is proposed to be
transported.
In case the Medical Officer at the health facility
decides that the patient needs to be referred to some other
government or private hospital, the ambulance would be
provided to the patient for further referral. One Medical
Officer of district hospital would be the in-charge of
control room, she added.
She also said that it would be ensured that pregnant
women reach the healthcare institutions on time, thereby
reducing maternal mortality and infant mortality rates. It
also aimed at reducing mortality rate by providing timely
transportation to accident victims.
She said that these referral transport vehicles would
also be deployed to facilitate pregnant women for regular
checkups thus substantially reducing emergent situations.
Apart from this, these vehicles could also be used for
post-natal care and immunization of children thus reducing the
infant mortality rate.
The Minister said that the referral transport system
would also reduce deaths within first hour of the emergency
that is the "Golden Hour" for the life of the patient by
quickly transporting the patient to the nearest health
facility.
The services to be provided under this scheme
included transportation of patient from site of accident or
home to the nearest appropriate medical facility and also
from a medical facility to a higher medical facility.
"Under this scheme, free services will be provided to
the patients belonging to the category of those living Below
Poverty Line (BPL), that is Yellow Card holders, residents of
notified slum areas, victims of road side accidents and
pregnant women. Patients belonging to other categories would
pay Rs seven per km for the ambulance services", she
added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 18:21