Needed: more ambulances before Games

According to sources,the government will now have to source ambulances from “elsewhere” to meet the Commonwealth Games deadline.

The government had partnered with Fortis group of hospitals to roll out 150 fully equipped ambulances ahead of the Games — the first batch was to be delivered in January.

The public-private partnership,however,fell through after Delhi Health minister Kiran Walia inspected the fleet that was ready to be delivered. “I rode on an ambulance and found it inferior to the standards being expected,” Walia said. “We are now in negotiation with some companies who will be able to provide ambulances in time for the Games.”

The public-private partnership (PPP) was worth Rs 35 crore and Fortis was to run ambulances as part of the state’s Central Accident Tribunal Services (CATS).

While the state government is already exploring options,Fortis maintains that the problem can be settled amicably. “We have complied with all specifications mentioned in the government’s bid. We are in touch with the Health department and think the matter can be solved amicably,” Fortis hospitals spokesperson Sudarshan Majumdar said.

The government is likely to approach an arbitrator for a closure on the PPP with Fortis hospitals,a top source in the Health department said.

The source said,“As of now,Fortis is willing to talk with us. We will source ambulances for the Games from elsewhere and procure only those which match our expectations.”

At present,the city’s 21 base stations have 35 CATS ambulances. But an average of five or six of these vehicles remain off roads at any given point each month due to maintenance problems.

Besides 150 new fully equipped ambulances,the government is also to acquire 20 ‘first-responder’ (two-wheeler) vehicles — the objective of these is to reach the victim within 15 or 20 minutes of receiving a call.

Of the 150 ambulances,141 would be basic life support ambulances and nine would be advanced life support. Pre-hospital medical emergency transportation and ambulance services have been provided through CATS since 1991.