BENGALURU: The state health and family welfare department on Tuesday tied up with app-based aggregators Uber and Ola to provide 24x7 ‘Medical Emergency Services’ for non-Covid-19 patients.
The aim of this service is to ensure that other medical emergency services do not get ignored, given the massive concentration on Covid-19, health department said in a statement.
Speaking after flagging off the service, B Sriramulu, state health minister said: “With the increasing number of Covid-19 related cases, 108 ambulance services are being utilized completely to ferry Covid-19 patients to hospitals and quarantine centers. In order for other patients, who have medical emergencies and require medical procedures such as dialysis, chemotherapy, organ transplant, radiation therapy etc., not to be inconvenienced, the state government has tied up with Uber and Ola to provide 100 cabs each for the benefit of such patients”.
These vehicles can be booked by calling dedicated numbers 9154153917, 9154153918 or by logging in to the respective apps of cab aggregators. “Services provided will include only shifting of patients from home to hospital and hospital to home and not for any other medical emergencies including suspected and positive cases of Covid-19” said Sriramalu.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner, state health and family welfare department said: “The service providers will provide details of drivers and vehicles to the Deputy Director (EMRI) and will also submit a daily report on the number of cases shifted on a daily basis. These vehicles will have signage on the front and rear which will read ‘Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Medical Emergency Service Vehicle (non-Covid-19)’ in red letters”.
“Drivers will be provided with required masks and sanitizers by the service providers. Patients who use this service can register their grievances against drivers who demand additional charges with the deputy director (EMRI) at 915415397/18/19. The driver and the patient attendant will also be required to wear masks for protection. The air conditioning in each of these vehicles will be switched off and the window panes will be rolled down. The charges for this service will be minimum, without any extra service charge or additional charges. As of now, such services will be in operation until April 15, 2020” he adds.
Separately, a release from Ola said: "To book an ‘Ola Emergency’ cab, users can select the category ‘Enabled for Hospitals’ on their Ola app, and enter the drop location from a list of available hospitals in the city. Ola has enabled over 200 hospitals on its app to provide the service and ensure cabs are used only for essential medical travel", it said.
The aim of this service is to ensure that other medical emergency services do not get ignored, given the massive concentration on Covid-19, health department said in a statement.
Speaking after flagging off the service, B Sriramulu, state health minister said: “With the increasing number of Covid-19 related cases, 108 ambulance services are being utilized completely to ferry Covid-19 patients to hospitals and quarantine centers. In order for other patients, who have medical emergencies and require medical procedures such as dialysis, chemotherapy, organ transplant, radiation therapy etc., not to be inconvenienced, the state government has tied up with Uber and Ola to provide 100 cabs each for the benefit of such patients”.
These vehicles can be booked by calling dedicated numbers 9154153917, 9154153918 or by logging in to the respective apps of cab aggregators. “Services provided will include only shifting of patients from home to hospital and hospital to home and not for any other medical emergencies including suspected and positive cases of Covid-19” said Sriramalu.
Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner, state health and family welfare department said: “The service providers will provide details of drivers and vehicles to the Deputy Director (EMRI) and will also submit a daily report on the number of cases shifted on a daily basis. These vehicles will have signage on the front and rear which will read ‘Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, Medical Emergency Service Vehicle (non-Covid-19)’ in red letters”.
“Drivers will be provided with required masks and sanitizers by the service providers. Patients who use this service can register their grievances against drivers who demand additional charges with the deputy director (EMRI) at 915415397/18/19. The driver and the patient attendant will also be required to wear masks for protection. The air conditioning in each of these vehicles will be switched off and the window panes will be rolled down. The charges for this service will be minimum, without any extra service charge or additional charges. As of now, such services will be in operation until April 15, 2020” he adds.
Separately, a release from Ola said: "To book an ‘Ola Emergency’ cab, users can select the category ‘Enabled for Hospitals’ on their Ola app, and enter the drop location from a list of available hospitals in the city. Ola has enabled over 200 hospitals on its app to provide the service and ensure cabs are used only for essential medical travel", it said.
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