Last month, the State-run 108 ambulance service reached a record 1,12,716 beneficiaries.
“About six months ago, we were reaching between 80,000 and 90,000 beneficiaries. In August, we crossed 1 lakh,” said Prabhudoss B. of GVK EMRI, which operates the service.
The rise can be attributed to the increase in the number of ambulances — there are 923 ambulance across the State at present — and increase in awareness, especially among ante-natal mothers whom the service is reaching out to.
The 108 service has also brought in a Pilot App, currently being tested in a few ambulances, that allows the pilot or ambulance driver to accurately locate a caller, especially in rural areas. The caller details are sent to the pilot’s smart phone and displayed on the screen for the person to navigate.
The service has also tied up with Tamil Nadu Geographical Information System to increase the number of ambulances in areas where the maximum number of calls on highways come in from, a release said.
A total of 64 ambulances are also being fitted with equipment including a ventilator, defibrillator, multi-para monitor, syringe pump and infusion pump.
The response time of the ambulance in Chennai is 9 minutes 33 seconds against the earlier 13 minutes. A 108 App for the general public will be launched soon, Mr. Prabhudoss said.
