Running with high public expectation in the rural state of Himachal Pradesh, the free of cost 108 National Ambulance Service has successfully saved one lakh lives in the hill state in seven years and nine months since its start in December 2010. Precisely, it has saved one life every one hour in HP.

As per data from 25 December, 2010 to 30 June, 2018, the 108 ambulance service received 11,31,376 emergencies in all, out of which, 10,97,728 were medical calls, 26,726 were related with Police and 6,922 were fire emergencies.

The one lakh lives saved include the critical cases served by the ambulance staff with a follow-up of their condition after 48 hours.

The records suggest that in total lives saved, 18 per cent cases were of pregnant women, 17 per cent of respiratory problems and 12 per cent of heart-related emergencies.

Out of the total lives saved, 48 per cent were males and 52 per cent females. Significantly, the age wise break up shows that highest lives saved were in the age category of 15- 29 years.

The fleet of 198 emergency ambulances in Himachal is being run in different parts of the state in public-private partnership between Himachal government and the GVK-EMRI.

The 108 ambulance works on the principal of transporting the people mainly in medical emergencies to the nearest hospital facility within golden hour, which is critical in life-saving.

“The 108 brings professional medical help with trained paramedic and all lifesaving equipments and drugs to patient or victim at doorstep. It also transports the patients or victims safely to a medical facility and without losing any time, definite medical care is provided,” said Mehul Sukumaran, state head of GVK-EMRI in Himachal Pradesh.

He said the Life Saved Process is based on some measurements like what was the condition of the patient or victim and his or her vitals are stable or not during while transportation to the hospital.

After the launch of 108 ambulance service in HP in 2010, people in medical emergencies, including accidents and pregnancies, have got much relief as earlier they had to look for taxis and other vehicles to reach hospital, which often complicated the problems due to time lapse. The most benefitted are the people in rural and remote areas of Himachal.

The rising graph of lives saved in seven and a half years, from 1220 in 2011 to 20340 in 2017 and 11891 in 2018 till 30 June, 2018 relates to increasing popularity and use of the emergency ambulance by people in entire Himachal.

The lives saved were highest in Shimla district (15,062) in seven and a half years, followed by Mandi (14,940) and Kangra (14303). 1048 lives were saved in tribal district of Kinnaur and 467 in the toughest Lahaul Spiti.