Eagerly awaited 102-108 free ambulance service fails to start

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 16

The long-awaited 102-108 free ambulance service has turned out to be a cruel joke with patients of J&K. Announced in 2104, no vehicle has been provided under this service to date.

“I can only give you information about this ‘ambitious service’, but there is not even a single ambulance at our disposal,” says an operator, whenever asked for an ambulance in case of emergency.

From time to time, successive state governments have claimed to launch this service, but nothing concrete has happened on the ground.

In January 2014 the then Health Minister, Shabir Ahmed Khan, of NC-Congress government had termed it a ‘major healthcare reform’ and announced to launch this service within a fortnight.

“I will not comment on announcements made by previous governments, but as of now, we are going to launch this service very soon,” said Bhupinder Kumar, Mission Director, National Health Mission, J&K.

He said “Operationalisation of 102-108 ambulance service in J&K and Ladakh is in final stage.”

He said call centres have been set up and 300 ambulances have been fitted with GPS, besides 116 advanced life support (AL) and 66 basic life support (BLS) ambulances are undergoing retrofitting.

The 102-108 free ambulance service would provide round the clock assistance to patients in J&K.

The service would act as a boon, especially for the people residing in far- flung areas.