Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet has given its nod for the procurement of 428 new ambulances to enhance emergency medical services across the state.
Out of these, 421 ambulances will replace old EMAS ambulances that have exceeded five years of service and have covered over 2,50,000 kilometers. Additionally, two Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances will be deployed at the Cardiac Care Hospital in Jharsuguda, and five ALS ambulances will be stationed at airports/airstrips for better emergency response.
The Emergency Medical Ambulance Service (EMAS) in Odisha, launched in 2013, provides free pre-hospital emergency medical services to the public. With a fleet of 866 ambulances, including ALS, BLS, and boat ambulances, EMAS has been catering to around 11-12 lakh emergency cases annually.
The procurement of new ambulances is expected to improve response times and reduce maintenance costs. A sum of Rs. 118.98 crore has been allocated for this purpose, with Rs. 118.06 crore coming from the state budget and Rs. 0.92 crore from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) funds. The move is set to bolster Odisha’s emergency healthcare services and provide better care to those in need.
