'WELL-WISHER' TO DONATE SEVEN EMRI AMBULANCES TO GOA GOVT.

Goa will increase its count of GVK-Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI) ambulances from 22 to 29 this year end following a donation from a "well-wisher", State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said today. Rane told the gathering during EMRI's second anniversary in Goa that "a well-wisher has agreed to donate seven ambulances for this ambitious PPP scheme."

EMRI currently runs 22 ambulances which have attended to 65,500 emergencies in last two years saving 5,227 lives with timely intervention. The health minister said that a well-wisher has agreed to give seven ambulances by December 19, 2010 and he will also bear its operational charges.

Rane refused to name the well-wisher claiming that talks are still on. "Once we have 29 ambulances, few will be able to keep some of them standby to be used during extreme exigencies," the health minister said. He said that the EMRI ambulances, which are accessible on 108 toll free number, will have a relook at its data to decide on the deployment of ambulances. "This (ambulance deployment) should not be a political decision. EMRI should study the data available since last two years and deploy them accordingly," he said.

EMRI's Chief Executive Officer Venkat Changavalli said that Goa model of emergency rooms to stabilize the patient at rural level before he reaches the main hospital has inspired various other states. "Assam government wants 50 such emergency rooms and Gujarat too wants emergency rooms in its state," Changavalli said. He said ambulances in Goa are equipped with Global positioning system so that officers sitting in Hyderbad can also track its movement and vitals of the patient are transported through it. – PTI