Transporting a patient from the state to metros by recently-launched air ambulance service is taking twice the time as the charter planes in the state are booked for electioneering by political parties and bigwigs against a hefty price.
The state government had promised to the service provider a separate aircraft for the air ambulance service but it got delayed because of the announcement of elections. In the meanwhile, aircraft is being procured for the patients of the state from Mumbai. Also, if the patient chooses to opt for any other city other than Mumbai for his or her treatment, the cost of the facility goes up by a sizable portion.
Vyas Travels, the firm that launched the service in the state, is now getting aircraft from Mumbai for the patients. Though it does not have any major effect on the total cost incurred but valuable time is lost in completing formalities due to distance.
"Obtaining aircraft from Mumbai and getting clearance from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) takes more than six hours. This time is reduced to half if the aircraft is available in the state itself," Kirti Vyas, Managing Director of Vyas Travels, said.
While the cost of renting an air ambulance for one hour is Rs 80,000, politicians are renting aircraft for up to Rs 2,00,000. In such a scenario, the aircraft are being arranged from Mumbai which are not always available causing much delay to the patient.
The spending capacity of a section of the people in the state has risen by manifolds in the past decade. Even after the formal inauguration of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the state capital and amid the presence of several other big hospitals, people in the state prefer to opt for metros when it is a matter of their health.
Around 10-12 patients in the state avail themselves of the facility of air ambulance every month and opt for treatment in Mumbai, Delhi or other big cities. "Nine out of ten patients opt for getting treated in hospitals in Mumbai. Sometimes, people also opt for Delhi and Hyderabad," said Vyas, talking to The Pioneer.
The total cost of shifting a patient from Raipur to Mumbai is around Rs 5 lakh. The aircraft can carry one patient, two relatives, and a team of doctors and health officials. If necessary, a six-seater charter flight can also be arranged. Apart from Raipur, the service of air ambulance is only available in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The service is also available in Hyderabad but in a privatised form operating under a luxury hospital.