Gujarat's 108 Service Saves 3.71 Lakh Lives

EMRI 108 emergency services in Gujarat celebrated 19 years of operation on Saturday, having attended to an impressive 1.96 crore calls statewide. Ahmedabad alone accounted for approximately 32 lakh of these emergency responses.

Vehicular trauma represented the largest category of emergencies with 3.92 lakh calls, closely followed by pregnancy-related issues (3.61 lakh), breathing problems (2.99 lakh), and cardiac emergencies (2.52 lakh). Seasonal calls concerning high fever and abdominal pain were also frequent. Officials highlighted that timely intervention by the service has saved the lives of approximately 3.71 lakh individuals.

Since its inception in 2007 with only 14 ambulances, EMRI services in Gujarat have seen significant expansion, now boasting a fleet of 1,493 ambulances. The average response time is maintained at 13 minutes, with urban areas seeing quicker responses at 9.48 minutes compared to 16.24 minutes in rural areas. This translates to an average dispatch of one ambulance every four seconds across the state.

The 108 services are now integrated with the 112 emergency response number, offering access to various helplines including children's, women's, animal, and traffic support. Gujarat has also activated air and boat ambulance services in collaboration with EMRI. Public health experts emphasize that the data generated by these services provides crucial insights into disease patterns and road safety issues, acting as an early warning system and facilitating better coordination with government hospitals for timely interventions.