11 years of 108 service

SHILLONG: The GVK EMRI Meghalaya Operations, on Sunday, completed 11 years of providing emergency services to the people of the state.
The service, popularly known as ‘Wheels of Hope’ or 108 ambulance service, that was launched on February 2, 2009, caters 24×7 free emergency response services in a Private Public Partnership (PPP) with the state government.
GVK, as on January 31, has catered to more than 24.5 lakh calls and handled 2.3 lakh emergency calls. Close to 25,000 lives have been saved and more than 2,000 deliveries have been conducted and assisted by the paramedics.
Out of the total emergency cases handled, it has catered 30 per cent to pregnancy, 10 per cent to vehicular trauma, 11 per cent to abdominal cases, 5 per cent to non-vehicular cases, 2 per cent to cardiac cases, 3.5 per cent to paediatric and neo-natal cases and 4 per cent to respiratory and stroke cases.
The service currently caters to emergency cases from across 43 locations covering all the districts in the state.
To mark the 11th year anniversary, all employees, completing 10 years of service, were recognised in a small programme at the GVK EMRI State Office, Shillong.