Due to low connectivity and tough terrain, some of the blocks located in the mining areas of Odisha’s Sundargarh district were facing barriers in receiving medical assistance. To counter this issue, the District Collector of the region Mr Nikhil Pavan Kalyan launched a full-fledged bike ambulance so as to reach these hard to arrive at areas.

The initiative took off at the end of last year after Mr. Kalyan gave a green signal to the bike ambulances and inaugurated the initiative. It has been almost four months since the initiative, named ‘Swasthya Rakshyak’, was launched and with its smooth functioning, it is also being appreciated by the people of the district.

In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Kalyan spoke about the objective behind the initiative and how its implementation is different from similar measures in others districts of India.

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THE IMPLEMENTATION

Mr. Kalyan said, “The major objective of launching this idea is to reach out to the remotest blocks in the district, to the places where normal cars and ambulances faces difficulty to connect. Therefore, specifically targeting such areas, the initiative was taken in six blocks, including Koira, Gurundia and Rajgangpur, with an aim to provide medical facilities to the people here.”

“Upon the guidelines of the government of India, several districts take this initiative as a pilot project. However, we decided to take it up in a proper manner and according to the requirements, we have procured in a proper tender procedure. Firstly, we have retrofitted the vehicle with a full-fledged resting arrangement for the patient, covered from all sides. The patient can lie down, instead of sitting uncomfortably in the vehicle”, he added.

The design of the bike ambulance was made locally, according to the guidelines of the government but with a few additional changes made by the district administration. The administration has also outsourced an agency which is helping them with the retrofitted vehicles and a dedicated driver. Mr. Kalyan said, “They will be in direct consultation with the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), who will direct them to the patient’s location and coordinate the travel.”

PROVIDING AID

The administration has set up a call centre where people from all over the district can call and ask for help. The dedicated call centre not only operates for the bike ambulances but for controlling all the medical assistance people need regarding Covid 19 etc as well.

Mr. Kalyan said, “Recently with the help of this, we were able to provide benefits to the people of the district. Through the bike ambulance initiative, we were able to bring pregnant women and disabled people from areas where no one can even thing of going. We have more than 100 entry and exit points where the ambulance delivered patients to the hospitals.”

Despite having triple the number of normal ambulances required in the district, the administration has started a fleet of 12 bike ambulances. As per the National Health Mission (NHM) guidelines, the ambulances required in the district, according to its population, is 14. However, the Sundargarh administration has leveled it up and is providing almost three times the required ambulances in the district, which is 37.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

The people who have really been benefitted from the bike ambulances are the tribals living in the remote areas. Mr. Kalyan said, “Even at the peak of Covid 19, the district did not fall short of ambulances. There was not even a single case where the patient was not able to reach the hospital because of lack of an ambulance.”

Several positive feedbacks have come regarding these innovative ambulances. According to Mr Kalyan, the number of the bike ambulances will increase as per the requirement and will cater to the remotest regions of the district.