Chennai: Within 6 months Tamil Nadu will have one-of-its-kind four-wheel drive ambulances, specially designed for the hilly areas of the State. The decision to procure smaller, four-wheel drive vehicles in the 108 ambulance service was taken to facilitate quicker rescue of patients from inaccessible areas and rough terrains.
A total of 78 four-wheel drive ambulances are to be procured. Areas with a significant share of tribal hilly regions including the Nilgiris district, the Krishnagiri district, Theni, Ooty, hilly regions of Vellore, Coimbatore and Kanyakumari will be the main beneficiaries of the scheme.
“The tenders for the vehicles are in the final stage. Once they are procured they will have to be fabricated and equipped with the medical equipment. We hope to have the vehicles in service in less than six months,” said Pankaj Kumar Bansal, mission director, State Health Society, Tamil Nadu. |
