APSRTC to convert 4 buses into‘Oxygen on Wheel’ ambulances

The vehicles to have 30 beds with oxygen facility

MP Margani Bharat interacting with the staff of an ‘Oxygen on Wheel’ ambulance in Ramajamahendravaram.

The authorities of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), Rajamahendravaram depot have decided to convert four buses into the ‘Oxygen on Wheel’ ambulances which will be deployed in the town.

In response to an appeal made by MP Margani Bharat, the APSRTC authorities took the decision and two such ambulances would be handed over to the East Godavari district authorities on Saturday.

“An agency hired by the government will install the oxygen facility in the abmbulances,” said APSRTC Rajamahendravaram depot manager P.N.V.M. Satyanarayana Murthy.

Mr. Bharat who inspected two such ambulances said that the vehicles would have 30 seats with the oxygen facility and they would cater to the needs of the COVID patients in need of critical healthcare services.

The lifesaver

In the first phase, the APSRTC-Kakinada depot provided the two such ambulances.

Launched on May 12, two ‘Oxygen on Wheel’ ambulances have accommodated above 40 patients in need of critical care treatment on the premises of the District Government Hospital (DGH) and the GSL Hospital in the city.

Many COVID patients have been waiting for the oxygen facility at the DGH, where beds with the oxygen facility remain unavailable due to rise in the number of infections.

“Such additional temporary critical care facilities are minimising the duration of wait of COVID-19 patients for admission to hospitals. We are able to provide lifesaving treatments in the ‘Oxygen on Wheel’ ambulances. The patients will be shifted to hospitals once the beds are available,” added Mr. Bharat.