Nagapattinam, August 26: The ‘108 ambulance service’ scheme was launched for extending ‘Emergency Life Saving’ service to the people, M R K Panneerselvam, Minister for Health and Family Planning said today.
The service already introduced in 23 districts, by the Chief Minister after signing an MoU with CVK EMRI for providing treatment to the people who required emergency medical attention both in urban and rural areas, was started in September 2008, he said.
Now in Tamil Nadu 198 ambulances had been deployed in 23 districts, covering the population of five million, he said, adding the remaining districts would be covered before October 15, 2009.
He said by 2,010, the entire state would have fleet of 600 ambulance vehicles.
Pannerselvam said during the last 11 months, since the introduction of ‘108 ambulance service’ scheme, out of 1,37,382 calls received, 1,20,701 lives were saved.
After attending a meeting with the health department officials, the Minister reviewed the sanitary works and the preventive measures taken up to control the spread of swine flu virus in the wake of 10-day annual Vailankanni festival commencing on August 29.
Health officials said medical teams were formed to examine and screen, if necessary, the pilgrims visiting Vailankanni and they were deployed in railway and bus stations.
On the Chief Minister’s Life Saving Higher Treatment Insurance Scheme, he said under this scheme a sum of Rs two crore had been spent so far as reimbursement.
—Agencies