Revamped ambulance service to be rolled out in state in five phases
State government has launched the revamped MEMS 108 ambulance service aimed at saving lives by utilising specialised medical equipment during critical ‘golden hour’
PUNE The state government has launched the revamped MEMS 108 ambulance service, aimed at saving lives by utilising specialised medical equipment during the critical golden hour of emergencies, said officials.
The fleet size has almost doubled to 1,756 from earlier 937 under the project which will be rolled out across the state in five phases in the coming months.
Unlike the existing ambulance services which operate primarily as patient transportation services across India, the new service focuses on providing pre-hospital health emergency services.
Dr Radhakishan Pawar, joint director of health services, appreciated the decision and said the facility of providing pre-hospital health emergency services will cut down mortality and morbidity in the patients.
“The fleet size of ambulances has increased to 1,756 considering the rising population of Maharashtra. The increase in the number of ambulances will help cater large number of patients,” he said.
Built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model for the first time in India, with service providers contributing 51% of the capital expenditure and the government contributing 49%.
The total capital expenditure procurement value has increased from approximately ₹240 crores for 937 ambulances in 2013 to approximately ₹870 crores for 1,756 ambulances in 2024, reflecting the adoption of new international specifications and a variety of fleet types.
The annual operational expenditure by the government has doubled from approximately ₹425 crore to ₹800 crores, in line with the expanded service scope and doubled fleet size.
Under the project 255 advanced life support ambulances will be provided, 1,274 basic life support, 36 neo-natal ambulances, 166 first responder bikes, 10 sea boat ambulances and 15 river boat ambulances.
Sumeet Facilities Limited India, in consortium with Grupo SSGMatrix, Spain and previous service operator BVG India will implement the project in the state.
Summit Salunke, vice-chairman of Sumeet Group Enterprises, expressed his commitment to enhancing public health infrastructure and the quality of life for citizens through this government initiative.
“ I am proud to be associated with the impact on patient care and emergency response times across urban and rural areas,” he said.
Diego Prieto Oliver, vice-chairman of SSG Transporte Sanitario SL, said, “The initiative, which redefines emergency care as a network that brings hospital-level care to the patient, represents a substantial advancement that will revolutionize the EMS industry in India.”