CM flags off 250 ambulances to improve access to hospital care

Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday inaugurated 250 new ambulances, marking the second phase of the state’s expansion of emergency medical transport aimed at reducing response times and improving access to hospital care.The state govt arranged 428 new ambulances to strengthen timely emergency services. In the first phase, 150 ambulances were launched in Dec last year. Another 250 new vehicles were added on Tuesday.With the current addition, the govt said it is accelerating efforts to ensure faster patient transportation across the state, particularly in critical cases where delays can increase mortality risk.Officials said the state invested about Rs 111 crore from its own funds for procurement and deployment of the new ambulances.

The expanded fleet is expected to support both urban and rural coverage and improve connectivity between primary points of care and higher medical centres.At present, 866 emergency ambulance services are operating across the state. In addition, 500 ambulances under the Janani Express service are dedicated to transporting pregnant women and sick children, providing targeted support for maternal and child health needs.

An official statement issued by the chief minister’s office maintained that the ambulance network is widely used, with more than 5,000 patients transported to govt hospitals every day, according to official figures.Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said the govt’s priority is to reduce mortality by ensuring patients reach hospitals quickly. He added that continuous steps are being taken to strengthen ambulance operations and improve service efficiency across districts.The chief minister also outlined measures to maintain uninterrupted ambulance services from all blocks to district headquarters hospitals, and from district headquarters hospitals to major medical facilities such as SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.He further said that ambulance services will be extended to airstrips such as Rourkela and Jeypore under the Viman Yojana to support emergency transfers. He added that this will further enhance medical services for people in high-emergency situations.Officials noted that five Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances are currently deployed at various airports in the state, while two ALS ambulances are dedicated to the cancer hospital in Jharsuguda.