CMC joins hands with Health Dept to boost emergency services

Ludhiana has emerged as a key district in the India emergency medical services (EMS) project, a flagship initiative under the National Health Research Priority of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to revolutionise emergency care.

In a major step forward, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Christian Medical College (CMC), and the Civil Surgeon’s Office, coinciding with the inauguration of the American Heart Association International Training Centre at the medical college.

This dual milestone marks Ludhiana’s deepening role in the project’s implementation phase, led by Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian, Principal of the CMC.

As part of the initiative, the CMC is set to equip Ludhiana’s district health facilities and 108 ambulance services with essential medical equipment, including six defibrillators, seven ECG machines, and nine multiparamonitors. These upgrades are expected to significantly enhance both pre-hospital and hospital-based emergency care.

The MoU was signed by Dr Ramandeep Kaur, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, and Dr Pandian, reaffirming their commitment to collaborative healthcare reforms.

The project is currently being implemented in five districts, including Ludhiana (Punjab), Puri (Odisha) and Vadodara (Gujarat).

The project aims to build a robust, patient-centric emergency care system across India, addressing seven critical emergencies including heart attack, brain stroke, trauma, poisoning, respiratory distress, snake bite and maternal-neonatal crises. Ludhiana’s inclusion reflects its strategic importance in shaping scalable models for emergency response and healthcare infrastructure.

Dr Kaur stated, “This partnership is a major step forward in improving emergency response capabilities in Ludhiana. With the support of the CMC and the India EMS project, we are strengthening our district’s preparedness and ensuring timely, life-saving care for our citizens.”

Dr William Bhatti, Director of CMC, said, “CMC has consistently led transformative healthcare initiatives, delivering critical services and imparting life-saving skills to benefit the communities we serve.”

This collaboration sets the foundation for scalable improvements in emergency medical infrastructure and training, positioning Ludhiana as a model for EMS reform across India.