The 108 ambulance services, started in the year 2009, has ferried as many as 3,74,170 persons in Tiruvannamalai district so far.
This included 1,22,559 pregnant women, 59,036 accident victims and 1,92,575 general patients who were transported free of cost to tertiary hospitals for advanced treatment. More than 900 child-births with normal delivery took place while transporting pregnant women to hospitals.
According to District Collector K.S. Kandasamy, the 108 ambulance service has transported patients to Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, besides other Government Hospitals in the district.
Patients were shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Chennai, Institute for Child Health, Egmore, Chennai and to tertiary hospitals in Puducherry through free-of-cost Inter-Facility Transfer .
The Collector added that there are 36 ambulances under the 108 ambulance service in Tiruvannamalai district, of which two provide neonatal service, while two were ventilator-supported ambulances. There is also a first responder bike in service. Four ambulances have been dedicated to hilly areas.
The 108 ambulance service vehicles have been functioning in Avur, S. Valavetti, Thandrambattu, Tiruvannamalai, Kadaladi, Ilangunni, Thanippadi, Naidumangalam, Arni, Kannamangalam, Chetput, Kilpennathur, Sandhavasal, Polur, Cheyyar, Vandavasi, Mangal Kootu Road, Vazhavachanur and Thellar centres.
All ambulances were provided with GPS equipment, and in 2018, all mobile units were provided with Android phones with a ‘Pilot app’ for receiving requirements and alerts.
