A total of 781 COVID-19 patients, requiring hospitalisation, were shifted to various hospitals in the district during April by the 108 emergency service ambulances. This apart another 1,412 pregnant women and other cases, all totalling 5,384 patients, were shifted to hospitals by the ambulances.
A total of 521 COVID-19 patients were shifted to hospitals by the ambulances in the first nine days of this month. The number of pregnant women, shifted to hospitals for delivery by the ambulances, was 229. As many as four of these women delivered in the ambulances, while on their way to the hospital, K. Srinivas Rao, District Manager of Aurobindo Emergency Medical Services (AEMS), told The Hindu on Monday.
He appreciated the dedication of the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and ambulance pilots in the discharge of their duties. A total of 48 ambulances are available in Visakhapatnam district. Of these, 45 are in service, while three would be on standby. Thirteen ambulances are being used in the city and suburban limits, while there are nine vehicles each in Anakapalle and Narsipatnam divisions and 14 in Paderu division.
The 13 vehicles in the urban areas are stationed at – Shilpararam (near Madhurawada), Simhachalam temple, Madhurawada, Pendurthy PHC, Swarna Bharathi, Visakhapatnam I Town, Anandapuram PHC, Padmanabham MRO office, GVMC Office, NAD Junction, Peda Gantyada, Bheemunipatnam and Gajuwaka PHC. Five of these ambulances have Advanced Life Support (ALS) while the remaining are Basic Life support vehicles.
Of the 48 ambulances in the district, 19 are new ones. Two of the vehicles, under Anakapalle and Paderu Divisions, have been equipped with neonatal care equipment for taking care of newborn babies. All the ambulances have monitors and infusion pumps while the ALS vehicles have ventilators.
“A total of 46,000 cases, including 4,000 COVID-19 cases, were attended by 108 ambulances between July 2020 and March 2021 in Visakhapatnam district” Aurobindo Pharma Foundation Chief Operating Officer M.S. Swaroop told this correspondent during his visit to the city last month.
