In span of less than one year, the Mahtari Express ambulances launched for providing immediate medical aid to the women undergoing labour pains carried over 3.09 lakh patients to various hospitals across Chhattisgarh.
The State Government’s Mahatari Express scheme has proved greatly beneficial in transporting pregnant women to hospitals on time and in facilitating necessary medical aid to them. Newly-born babies and infants of age less one year have also been benefited under the scheme. This scheme was started on the special initiative of Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Within just 11 months of commencement of the scheme, more than 3 lakh women, newly born babies and infants have availed the facilities provisioned under this scheme. As many as 300 Mahatari Express vehicles are available at hospitals of all 27 districts of state, to provide the ambulance services for beneficiaries for free of cost round-the-clock.
Health Department officials informed that the scheme is being operated in association with the social service organization GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute.
Started on the lines of ‘Dial 108 Sanjeevani Free Emergency Ambulance Service’, the Mahatari Express service is available on toll-free number 102. Any needy family may dial toll free number 102 to avail the Mahatari Express Services.
The Mahatari Express ambulance reaches at doorstep to take pregnant woman in labour pains or sick infants (as the case may be) to government hospital for medical treatment. Moreover, on request of the patients, Mahatari Express also provides the drop home facility from hospital for free of cost.
Chief Minister Raman Singh had inaugurated this scheme at capital city Raipur on August 23, 2013.
Nearly 1.5 lakh patients were taken to hospital from their home through Mahatari Express vehicles and after treatment over 1.22 lakh availed the free drop home facility of the service. Moreover, in nearly 24,000 cases, the patients were shifted from small government hospitals to major government hospitals. Meanwhile, 12,940 infants and newly-born babies were also benefited under the scheme.
According to Operational Head of GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute Suresh Kamle, as many as 300 Mahatari Express ambulances are providing 24x7 services in all 27 districts of state. This includes 21 vehicles in Bilaspur district, 18 in Rajnandgaon district, 15 each in Janjgir-Champa, Durg, Bastar (Jagdalpur), Raipur and Raigarh districts, 14 each in Sarguja, Jashpur and North Bastar (Kanker) districts, 12 in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, 11 each in Korba and Surajpur, and 10 each in Balrampur-Ramanujganj, Dhamtari, Kondagaon, Koriya (Baikunthpur) and Mahasamund districts. Moreover, eight Mahatari Express ambulances in Bemetara, 8 each in Gariaband and Kabeerdham (Kawardha) districts, six each in South Bastar (Dantewada), Bijapur and Mungeli districts, five in Sukma districts and three such ambulances in Narayanpur district are providing round the clock services for free of cost.
He that within 11 months of the commencement of scheme, 22, 442 patients in Bilaspur district, 19,613 patients in Rajnandgaon district, 19,389 patients in Raipur district, 18, 861 in Durg district, 18,711 in Raigarh district and 17, 272 women and infants of Sarguja district have been benefited under the scheme. In the same sequence, 16,288 patients in Janjgir-Champa district, 13,667 in Bastar (Jagdalpur) district, 13,238 in Jashpur district, 12,680 in Korba district, 12,462 in Koriya district, 12,659 in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, 12,013 in Surajpur district, 12,072 in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district, 12,107 in Mahasamund district, 11,477 in Bastar (Kanker) district, 9,945 in Dhamtari district, 9,078 in Bemetar district, 7,833 in Balod district, 7,448 in Kondagaon district, 6,753 in Kabeerdham (Kawardha) district, 5,813 in Gariaband district, 5,098 in Mungeli district, 4,454 in South Bastar (Dantewada) district, 3,131 in Sukma district, 3,083 beneficiaries in Bijapur district and 1,835 beneficiaries in Narayanpur district have availed the services of Mahatari Express.