AP Health Reforms: CM YS Jagan To Flag Off 1,068 Ambulances Tomorrow

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will inaugurate 1,068 ambulances along with 676 mobile medical health care (104) units at 9.35 am at Vijayawada Benz Circle on Wednesday, July 1.

The government has spent Rs 200.15 crores for the purpose. An estimated cost of Rs 318.93 crore is required for the maintenance of all the vehicles every year.

These ambulances will reach the spot within 15 minutes after a call in urban areas, 20 minutes in villages and will reach agency and tribal areas within 30 minutes.

As a part of reforms in the health sector, the state government had earlier taken a decision to convert 108 ambulances to Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances by equipping them with modern medical instruments which will be of major use during emergency situations, especially during the COVID-19 times.

The state government equipped ALS ambulances with ventilators and other advanced medical instruments such as Defibrillator (cardiovascular rescuer) and pulsatile meter (blood oxygen control).

For this, the state government purchased 412 ambulances. Along with them, the existing 336 ambulances will also be used in the state.

Out of the newly purchased 412 ambulances, 282 are related to Basic Life Support (BLS) and the rest 104 ambulances have been converted to ALS ambulances. Another 26 neonatal care ambulances have been set up to provide medical care to children.

The state government has also brought a change in mobile medical units (MMUs). MMUs are equipped with all facilities to provide medical services, even in remote areas. Around 656 services were prepared simultaneously to provide one MMU in each mandal.

In order to prevent maternal-infant deaths, the government has prepared 20 types of 104 services to address the problems related to the health of children, malnutrition, prevention of epidemics in certain areas of the agency, and provision of sophisticated medical care to those living in agency areas.

MMU Functioning:
Each mobile medical unit (MMU) consists of a medical officer, data entry operator, driver, ANM and Asha worker.

Earlier, MMUs working with Primary Health care centres (PHCs) in villages will now provide medical care to all the people, including those living in remote villages.

MMUs have also been equipped with necessary medical check-up facilities required for testing patients. Every MMU has an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVLT) as well as a Global Positioning System (GPS).

A tab and personal computer (PC) has also been set up in MMUs for taking biometric from patients for updating their data online. This helps for easily creating the electronic health record (EHR) for patients.