Himachal adds 50 more ambulances

Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday added 50 new ambulances to its fleet under the free-of-cost 108 national ambulance service, taking its total strength to 162 vehicles.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh flagged off the new ambulances at the Ridge here. "Soon, 125 more small ambulances would be added to the current fleet," he said.

Two and a half years ago, Himachal became the first state in northern India to start the free ambulance service.

It has so far ferried three lakh patients to nearby hospitals. The 108 service call centres have handled 2,500 fire and 10,000 police related cases as well since its inception, health officials said.

The 108 ambulance service has been a political issue in the hill state. The previous P K Dhumal-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had named it 'Atal ambulance service'.

But when the Congress wrested power from the BJP six months ago, it immediately changed the name to 'National ambulance service' on the grounds that it was largely a centrally-funded scheme.

The national rural health mission website (www.nrhmhp.gov.in)for the state was launched on the occasion to provide updated health-related information.