With a view to offer emergency medical assistance to the Sabarimala pilgrims, the State government has set up a Rapid Action Medical Unit comprising a fleet of bike feeder ambulance, 4x4 rescue van, and an ICU ambulance.
According to the Health Minister Veena George, operations of the Rapid Action Medical Unit are coordinated under the Kaniv 108 Ambulance scheme. The bike ambulance, fitted with a side-car, will be deployed along the narrow lanes while the rescue van will operate on the rugged path from Pampa to Sannidhanam.
The ICU ambulances, meanwhile, will be used for shifting patients with emergency health issues from Pampa to the hospitals for specialty treatment. All the vehicles will be equipped with oxygen system and run by specially trained emergency medical technicians.
The service of the Rapid Action Medical Unit can be availed of by the pilgrims by dialling the toll-free number 108 or through oral requests at the nearest police or Health department points.
As per estimates, as many as 25,719 people have availed the medical services in the Sabarimala zone till Sunday. Of this, 210 had been given emergency medical care. As many as 37 people had suffered cardiac arrest while trekking up the hill and of this, the lives of 30 persons could be saved.
