709 women gave birth in 108 ambulances

Erode 108 Ambulance Service District Coordinator Ganesh informed that 709 pregnant women have given birth in 108 ambulances on the way to the hospital in Erode district. He said the service for emergency medical service in Tamil Nadu was started in 2008. For emergency treatment, health problems, fainting, accident injuries, labaur pain, chest pain etc,  public are using this ambulance service free of cost. 

The Tamil Nadu government is also taking various steps to improve the service. 46 ambulances are operating in Erode district. Urban and rural areas are visited within 8 to 14 minutes of receiving an emergency call. To further reduce this time, GPS kits were fixed in vehicles. 

As large number of people using the ambulance service, the areas with the highest number of calls are identified and additional vehicles are stationed there. A total of 4 lakh 21 thousand 677 people have used 108 ambulances in Erode district in the last 14 years since the inception of this service.  Out of this, 84 thousand 105 were pregnant women and 1 lakh 99 injured were  accident victims.  709 pregnant women have delivered babies on the way to the hospital. 

Ventilator, ECG for treatment of heart and lung related diseases were in the ambulance. Patients were taken to the Erode Government Hospital and Government Medical College Hospital in Perundurai. Ambulances for babies with incubator and ventilator facilities have been kept ready in Erode and Gobi areas. So, about 40 children are saved every month. 

In order to improve the 108 ambulance service in hill areas, an awareness camp is being conducted for pregnant women in government primary health centers.  9 Ambulances are operated for the hill people to provide 24 hours service in the hill villages. Although the movement of wild animals is seen there at night, the ambulance staff are risking their lives to serve.  The motorists followed the road traffic rules properly to avoid accidents.