GVK EMRI completes 7 year
SHILLONG: Operating with a fleet size of forty seven, 108 ambulances spread across forty two locations within the state of Meghalaya. On February 2, 108 Emergency Service Ambulance has completed seven years of service to matters relating to medical, police and fire.
On November, 2008 a MoU was signed between GVK EMRI and the Government of Meghalaya and within a span of three months, 108 ambulances were put into operational mode on February 2, 2009.
From the inception of service in Meghalaya, the 108 Emergency Service has handled 19 lakh plus calls till date. The 108 Emergency Service Ambulance popularly known as the “Wheels of Hope” has catered to 1.3 lakh plus emergencies.
Among the different medical related cases attended by the 108 ambulance for the past seven years, pregnancy related cases is the highest at 27.21% followed by RTA (Road Traffic Accidents) at 11%. Thirteen hundred plus deliveries have been conducted by the EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) inside the 108 ambulance and at scene across the state. The average reach time of the 108 ambulance is sixteen minutes in the urban area and thirty one minutes in the rural areas, while the average time taken from the scene to hospital is thirty one minutes in the urban area and fifty minutes in the rural area.
To expand with an aim to strengthen the chain of emergency care within the state and the neighboring regions and to enhance capacity building for health care system, GVK EMRI in collaboration with Stanford University, AHA (American Heart Association) and AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) have been involved in extensive training of doctors, nurses and paramedic of state Government, NEIGRIHMS and private organization.
American Heart Association certified First Responder training has also been imparted to police personnel from the state, various Government departments and private institutions.
With the sole intention of supporting the education, research and training of paramedic to learn the know-how of providing emergency care, “GVK Vidya Nilaya” was inaugurated on August 15, 2015 at Head Quarters in Hyderabad by the Dean of Stanford University Dr. Lloyd Brooks Minor.
Stanford University designed course which is also recognized by Osmania University, Hyderabad developed a program Advanced Post Graduate Diploma in Emergency Care (APGDEC). Aspiring science graduate students can enroll for this two years course, currently twelve state sponsored 108 paramedic are undergoing the course in Hyderabad.
GVK EMRI is currently operating the 108 Emergency Service in fifteen states and two union territories and is also in the process of expanding internationally with the commission of 108 Emergency Service in Sri Lanka.