https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Former DC Launches Bike Ambulance, Spreads ‘Right To Health’ Awareness

If an ambulance finds it difficult to enter a village, use bike ambulance instead. This is one of the novel methods introduced by the senior civil servant of Chattisgarh, drawing applause from all around.
bike ambulance
Indian Masterminds Stories

The healthcare system and access to basic medical infrastructure lack behind in some rural parts of India, where people avoid going to hospitals due to big medical bills and lack of timely transportation. You must have heard that in many rural places, pregnant ladies avoid going to hospitals at the time of delivery; instead they seek help of local midwives. This leads to higher risk to the health of both mother and the child.

Likewise, some districts in Chhattisgarh were facing similar problems that were not getting addressed. Due to the geographical constraints, the four-wheeler ambulances couldn’t reach the patient on time which led to frequent deaths. Therefore, to fulfill the basic medical amenities of the needful, former District Collector Awanish Sharan formulated the initiative of bike ambulances in the Balrampur district in 2018, which was later adopted by many other districts including Kawardha.

FORMULATING BIKE AMBULANCES INITIATIVE AS DISTRICT COLLECTOR

Awanish Sharan who is currently serving as Director Technical Education, Employment and Training with an additional charge of CEO, Skill Development, Chhattisgarh smartly adopted this initiative as it was already being used by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to rescue sick and injured people in Maoist-affected region of Bastar.

If an ambulance finds it difficult to enter a village, use bike ambulance instead. This is one of the novel methods introduced by the senior civil servant of Chhattisgarh, drawing applause from all around.
Awanish Sharan taking stock of the Sangi Express operation

“Bike ambulances used to operate with a side-car where the Sangi Express driver and ASHA worker used to pick up the patients from their doorstep, with all the first-aid equipment and supplies and used to drop them to the nearest clinic. After the treatment, the same bike ambulance would also drop the patients back to homes”, said Mr. Sharan while speaking with Indian Masterminds.

Patients of Daldali village using Sangi Express

For every village, a bike ambulance was allotted. People used to contact the PHC, the CHC in-charge (Community Health Centre), or the Sangi Express driver on the particular number allotted to the village. The number was widely shared by the local `panchayats’ to each and every household and sessions regarding the promotion of bike ambulances were conducted.

OPERATION AND MOTIVE OF SANGI EXPRESS

As the four-wheeler ambulances took a huge amount of time to reach the beneficiary, people used to book private vehicles to reach the nearby hospital or clinic. This often turned out to be very costly to most people. However, the bike ambulance acted as a perfect substitute, as it took very little time to reach the doorstep of the patient and is very cost-effective as it is free of cost.

Sangi Express being used by the tribals

“Firstly, the main motive of the bike ambulances was to decrease maternal/infant/child mortalities by transporting those in need of treatment within the crucial hours. Secondly, it provided much needed commutation facility to accident victims and others suffering from trauma with Emergency Response Service. Lastly, it really helped those who resided in far flung areas, as access to immediate medical service reduced death rate”, said Awanish Saran.

He also added, “The service is also functional during the COVID-19 pandemic and is helping the masses.”

SPREADING HIS PERSONAL NUMBER TO SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS

Awanish Saran not only changed the healthcare system of these tribal areas, but he also went to the grassroots to provide help to the people personally. In one such instance, he provided his personal number in all the schools, colleges, and hospitals of the district and asked them to call him directly whenever they needed help.

IAS officer Awanish Sharan

“As a Collector of the district it was my moral responsibility to provide them my contact number. And this did help a lot of students in getting connected and I could solve many problems by surprise inspections of schools which helped in better functioning of schools. I received many calls during the day and was able to help a lot of people including school children”, he told Indian Masterminds.

He also added, “Me providing the personal number to the public helped a lot of people during this COVID 19 pandemic, as many residents of my district who were stuck in other states were able to get a lot of help in terms of essential products (ration) and money.” This established direct contact with the public and made him more accessible to the people of his district. However, the Sangi Express initiative not only provided better health facilities to these tribal areas but also spread awareness about the ‘Right to Health’ and the ease of medical facilities to the women of that area.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Hindustan Shipyard Limited HSL
PESB Declines to Recommend CMD for Hindustan Shipyard; Ministry May Extend Current Chief’s Tenure
IAS Ajitabh Sharma
“80% of Time Spent on Non-Core Tasks”: Rajasthan Principal Secretary Ajitabh Sharma Questions IAS Work Culture, Calls for Reform
Nitin Gadkari
India to Become Net Energy Exporter in 6-7 Years, Highlights Hydrogen and Biofuels: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Bank of India - BOI
Bank of India Plans to Raise Rs 20,000 Crore via Infrastructure Bonds in FY 2025-26
BEML Limited
For Operational Excellence, BEML Lays Foundation of State-of-the-Art Central Warehousing Centre in Bilaspur
rec-logo
Green Energy Boost: REC Forms New Subsidiary for 3GW Ananthapuram-II REZ Transmission Project
Bhupendra Patel CM Gujarat
CM Bhupendra Patel’s Pro-People Move: Uniform House Tax of ₹200 Annually for Rural Government-Assisted Homes in Gujarat
CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar: Gaya to Become Bihar’s Largest Industrial Township Under AKIC; ₹16,524 Cr Investment Expected
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Hindustan Shipyard Limited HSL
PESB Declines to Recommend CMD for Hindustan Shipyard; Ministry May Extend Current Chief’s Tenure
IAS Ajitabh Sharma
“80% of Time Spent on Non-Core Tasks”: Rajasthan Principal Secretary Ajitabh Sharma Questions IAS Work Culture, Calls for Reform
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT