The GVK EMRI 108 emergency ambulance service, created a sort of record when it served its one-millionth emergency call on Thursday. The ambulance service started its operation in Uttarakhand on May 15, 2008.
On Friday, the 108 service claimed that lives of more than 25000 people in the state were saved by timely action of its ambulances.
A programe to celebrate its 10 millionth service in the state was organised at the headquarters of the ambulance service on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, the state head of the ambulance service Manish Tinku said that the ambulance service is catering 400-450 calls daily in the state and the percentage of busy ambulance has reduced to only one percent. Congratulating the 108 ambulance team, he said that service is committed to bring further improvement in services.
The service has 139 ambulances in its fleet and they have covered a distance of more than 3.68 crore kilometers to serve more than a million emergencies. A total of 700 employees are deployed in the 24x 7 service. The 108 service has received more than 9.58 lakh medical emergency calls and about 41000 calls related to the police and fires.
The data suggest that the service has proved to be hit when it comes to taking pregnant women to hospital for institutional deliveries. A total of 3.88 lakh pregnant women are served by the service till date.
Interestingly birth of 8,221 children have occurred in the ambulances as the service has necessary facilities and trained persons to ensure safe deliveries inside the ambulances itself. The service has also served 105684 accident victims in the State till date.