KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: In order to further improve the performance of Emergency Ambulance Services in the state, particularly in tribal districts of Odisha and to meet the increasing demand for the service, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off as many as 24 additional ambulances in the first phase, out of 92 ambulances sanctioned under the existing 108 ambulance services, here on Saturday.
The 68 remaining vehicles of the fleet of the 92 ambulances will be rolled out phase wise across the state, said an official release. The state government has made a budget provision of Rs 90 crore for the additional ambulances.
Odisha Health Minister Pratap Jena, Bhubaneswar Municipality Corporation Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, Mission Director of NRHM, Shalini Pandit and others attended the flagging off ceremony.
Notably, the 108 Emergency Medical Ambulance Service was launched in the state on March 5, 2013 and presently has fleet of 420 vehicles covering all 30 districts, providing emergency medical service free of cost to the people. The fleet has 364 Basic Life Support (BLS) and 56 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances.
Ms Kalinga