Mumbai: In a major step toward strengthening the state’s emergency medical infrastructure, Maharashtra will soon roll out two air ambulances and 200 newly equipped road ambulances by November. Health Minister Prakash Abitkar announced early this week that the initiative aims to provide rapid and efficient emergency response under the Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) 108 project.
Highlighting widespread complaints about the existing ambulance network, Abitkar said the response time has been unsatisfactory, with vehicles often arriving late at accident sites. To address these issues, the government has decided to introduce modern, 5G-enabled, and GPS-tracked ambulances with enhanced medical capabilities.
The Public Health Department has entered into a 10-year agreement with Sumit SSG BVG Maharashtra EMS Pvt. Ltd. to manage and operate the upgraded fleet. The first phase, beginning in November, will include two air ambulances, five sea boat ambulances, and 200 advanced road ambulances.
Each ambulance will be equipped with mobile data terminals, tablet PCs, GPS, caller location tracking, CCTV cameras, and a triage system. They will also feature automated dispatch systems, vehicle tracking, and real-time patient arrival notifications.
The upgraded vehicles will carry over 25 life-saving medical devices, including ventilators, ECG monitors, modern stretchers, digital oxygen delivery systems, and cardiac monitoring units.
Currently, the MEMS 108 network operates 937 ambulances across Maharashtra. Under the expansion plan, this number will nearly double to 1,756, comprising 255 Advanced Life Support (ALS) units, 1,274 Basic Life Support (BLS) units, 36 neonatal ambulances, 166 first responder bikes, 10 sea ambulances, and 15 river ambulances.
The project also envisions the future use of drones and helicopter-based emergency medical systems to ensure timely care even in remote regions.
Health officials say the initiative will mark a transformative leap in Maharashtra’s emergency medical response, bringing world-class facilities closer to people in need.
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