First aid and emergency care may soon become easy, if all goes as per BBMP’s plan. The civic body recently decided to invest in 100 bike ambulances, mainly to ensure that health care is accessible when most needed.

The idea, which was first tabled before the Standing Committee for Health, has been approved by the BBMP council. The city already has nearly 20 bike ambulances that are being operated by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

Sources in the BBMP said that bike ambulances are most required in the outer zones where the wards are more spread out than those in the core zones. “It is here that the bike ambulances will be most useful in reaching the spot as soon as possible to provide immediate health care,” they said.

Paramedical staff trained in providing emergency care will be outsourced. Of the 100 bike ambulances, 50 will be of lower engine capacity, but equally well-equipped. Sources said these bikes will be given to women paramedical staff. Each bike ambulance will have a first aid kit, cardiac care kit, ortho kit, portable oxygen cylinder, and emergency and life saving medicines.

A mobile app will be developed to enable citizens to access the nearest bike ambulance, apart from a dedicated control room / call centre.

Mujahid Pasha, Chairperson of the Standing Committee for Health, told The Hindu that the bike ambulances will be purchased at a cost of ₹1 crore, from the ₹2 crore allocation for purchase of hearses, health and sanitation in the 2016-17 BBMP budget. “But this may not be enough. We will require at least ₹4 crore a year for operation and maintenance, salary of the paramedical and control room staff, etc. We are hoping for more allocation in the next budget.”

He said that the BBMP is in talks with healthcare providers, including GVK and Spencers. “We are taking inputs from these companies. We will check the feasibility of their inputs and then call for tenders,” he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Benglauru / by Special Correspondent / February 10th, 2018