GUWAHATI, March 2 - For the first time in North-east, the National Rural Health Mission today launched the bike ambulance service under the Aspirational District scheme of North Eastern Council (NEC), DoNER and Niti Aayog.
Today the service was formally flagged off by Ansumwi Khungur Boro, Executive Member (Agriculture) of BTC at Dr Ravi Boro Civil Hospital at Mushalpur of Baksa district.
In Baksa district many areas are still not easily accessible due to poor road communication and lack of bridges in some areas. According to a statement issued by the NRHM, in this district there are some areas where ambulance service is unable to reach the needy due to narrow roads and also due to the shortage of ambulance.
According to a statement issued by the NRHM, in Baksa district, it has identified 21 such areas which are still out of purview of ambulance service and among them ten areas are regarded as very critical, which are not easily accessible.
�To ensure timely health assistance in these areas, the bike ambulance services has been launched. Bike ambulance can reduce the gap between health facility and patients. The bikes, to be known as the First Responder Vehicles, will have a portable oxygen cylinder, first aid kit and dressing materials, air-splints, GPS and communication device along with other necessary equipment,� the statement said.
Especially, the bike ambulance will provide emergency health service in carrying pregnant women to nearby Primary Health Centres.
At present it will be implemented at Sukrungbari HWC, Japadong HWC and Kowly HWC on pilot basis. The activities of the bike ambulance will be monitored weekly at the block level and monthly at the district level. Benchmark for each bike for carrying the patients will be 20 per month. To encourage the team members, the authority will provide special incentives based on their performance.
