Chennai: More patients turn to car ambulances

CHENNAI: The corporation’s plan to convert cars into ambulances is gaining popularity and decreasing the load on traditional ambulances. This is especially true in certain zones where the load of fresh Covid-19 cases is high, say officials.
By May 15, official data shows, 225 ambulances ferried around 607 patients from their homes to screening centres. The number increased to 644 by 4pm on May 16.
The numbers, monitored Greater Chennai Corporation officials at least twice a day from the control room, are increasing daily. “Currently, a car ambulance ferries around four patients a day. We want to achieve a target of 5-6 patients per day,” said an official.
In zones like Adyar, Valasaravakkam, Royapuram and Tondiarpet, ambulances have ferried 5-10 patients a day on an average. “Ambulances are more in use in Adyar and Valasaravakkam as the number of fresh cases is higher.”
The ambulances are private taxis which have been modified —an insulation coating placed between the passenger seat and the driver area. The drivers are vaccinated to reduce the risk of spread of the infection, the corporation announced.
A senior official said ambulances have been placed at the disposal of zonal officers and zonal health officers. When test results are declared in the morning, officials with the help of inputs from sanitary inspectors, take a call on which patients need ambulances to ferry them to the nearest screening centre. “Earlier tempos were used,” he said.
For zonal level officials the target is to ensure Covid positive patients are informed, screened and returned home the same evening.
Based on doctors’ advice at the screening centre, a patient can be taken to a Covid care centre or hospital in the same car ambulance. Residents’ requests for ambulance are routed from the control room in Ripon Buildings to the zonal level.
The corporation also has home triaging services to ensure patients below 60 who are not very serious can be checked at home. “Many people prefer being triaged at home as they feel more comfortable,” an official said.