Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday flagged off a total of 60 vans for carrying the dead in all the Government hospitals and community health centres of 27 districts in the State.
The service christened as ‘Muktanjali’ would be offered in all the district hospitals and the vans could be summoned by dialling toll free number ‘1099’. Singh inaugurated the vans in tandem with the inauguration of the Government DK Hospital in the city.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the ‘Sanjeevani Express’ ambulance service based on the toll free number ‘108’ had been operational in the State for a little more than two years for carrying accident victims and terminally ill patients to the nearest hospital.
The ‘Muktanjali Express’ had been launched on similar lines which would leave its unique mark nationally and within the State, he said. Singh said that in case of sudden death of a person in a hospital, the relatives face immense difficulties in getting the body home.
The service launched by the Health and Family Welfare Department would provide great relief especially to the financial weaker families, he said.
The ‘Muktanjali’ van would bring home the mortal remains of the person on account of his or her sudden death from the government hospital free of cost. Health Department officials informed that the new service would be managed by ‘Jain Video On Wheel ltd, New Delhi and all the 60 vans would be stationed at the base camps (hospitals) round-the-clock.
The relatives of the patients would have to contact the hospital superintendents, civil surgeons or the medical officers at the block level for availing the service.
The district-wise base camps (hospitals) where the vans would be stationed for service are as follows —Raipur Medical College, District Hospital besides community health centres in Abhanpur and Aarang, Baloda Bazaar District Hospital, Simga and Community Health Centre at Bhatapara, Gariyaband District Hospital, and community health centre at Mainpur, Dhamtari District Hospital and community health centre at Magarload, Kavardha District Hospital and community health centre at Saharpur lohara and Bodla, Mahasamund District Hospital and community health centres at Mahasamund District Hospital and community health centre at Saraipali, Rajnandgaon District Hospital and community health centre at Dongargarh and Civil Hospital at Khairagarh, Durg District Hospital and community health centres at Bhilai Dhamdha and Patan, Balod District Hospital and community health centres at Dondi and Daudilohara community health centres, Bemetara District Hospital and community health centre at Navagarh, Bilaspur District Hospital and Medical College and community health centre at Marwahi and Takhatpur, Korba District Hospital and community health centre at Katghora, Raigarh District Hospital and Medical College and Civil hospitals in Kharsia and Dharamjayagarh, Janjgir Champa District Hospital and community health centres at Maal Kharoda, Sakti and Maalkharodas, Jagdalpur Medical College and community health centres at Bakwand and lohadigunda, District Hospital at Kondanga and community health centre at Makdi, Bijapur District Hospital, Kanker District Hospital and community health centre at Antagad, district hospitals of Sukma, Narayanpur, Mungeli and Dantewada, Sarguja District Hospital and community health centres at lakhanpur and Udaipur, Balarampur District Hospital and community health centre at Vaadnagar, Surajpur District Hospital and community health centre at Ramanujganj, Koriya District Hospital and community health centre at Manendragarh, Jashpur District Hospital and Civil Hospital, pathalgaon.
Those present during the flagging off ceremony were: Health Minister Amar Agarwal, PWD Minister Brijmohan Agarwal, lok Sabha MP from Raipur Ramesh Bains, Principal Secretary, Health Department, MK Raut besides other senior officials of the Health Department.