Free heli ambulance service in HP soon

In a decision which could help patients in the far flung and inaccessible areas of the State, the Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday decided to introduce free Heli-ambulance services .

The free Heli-ambulance services will be operated by Heli-mission Switzerland with the assistance of Lady Willingdon Hospital, Manali in District Kullu.

"This will go a long way in strengthening the health transport services and timely air lifting of the patients particularly of remote and tribal regions of the State," a government spokesman said. 

The Cabinet meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

The Cabinet also gave approval to set up health care transformation project viz: TATA Digital Nerves Centre Platform (DiNC) in Kullu district. DiNC is a service led platform model and facilitate to and fro communication between patients, hospitals and doctors irrespective of their geographical locations. It helps screening basic symptoms, facilitates doctor consultations and to send alerts for follow-up and manages records of the patients.

In addition, the Cabinet gave its nod to fill up 1235 posts of Transport Multi-Purpose Assistants (TMPA) in Himachal Road Transport Corporation.

It accorded its approval to fill up 200 posts of Clerks in H.P. Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) on contract basis through direct recruitment and 25 posts of Junior Scale Stenographer in H.P. Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) on contract basis.

The Cabinet also decided to fill up 100 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) and 20 posts of Junior Engineer (Mechanical) in Public Works Department on contract basis.

Besides, the cabinet approved to upgrade Civil Hospital Nurpur in Kangra district to 200 bedded hospital along-with creation of additional 42 posts of different categories.  It was decided to fill up 7 posts of different categories for the establishment of Programme Management Unit in Ayurveda Department sponsored by Ayush Ministry, Government of India.

The Cabinet accorded its approval to open new State of Art Industrial Training Institute at Chhatari in Tehsil Thunag of district Mandi besides creation of requisite posts of different categories to man the institute. It decided that the Gram Panchayat Veterinary Assistants (GPVA) who have completed as five years of service will be brought under contract. 

The Cabinet gave its approval to purchase 26 new ambulances under National Ambulance Service-108 as replacement to facilitate the patients.