Raipur, Mar 31: In a major push to strengthen emergency healthcare services, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday flagged off a fleet of 370 ambulances, including advanced life support units, ensuring statewide coverage under the ‘108 ambulance’ network.
The newly deployed fleet comprises 300 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances and 70 Advanced Life Support (ALS) vehicles, aimed at providing timely and quality medical assistance across urban and rural areas. With this rollout, the 108 ambulance service has become fully operational in all districts with immediate effect, officials said.
In a first for the state, five neonatal ALS ambulances—equipped as “mobile neonatal ICUs”—have also been introduced to cater to critically ill newborns. These specialised vehicles are fitted with advanced life-saving equipment such as incubators, ventilators, defibrillators, syringe pumps, nebulisers, suction machines, oxygen support and a wide range of emergency medicines, enabling safe transfer of infants to higher medical centres.
The BLS and ALS ambulances are also equipped with modern medical devices including BP monitors, pulse oximeters, ECG monitors and glucometers, while advanced units feature portable ventilators and critical care systems to handle serious medical emergencies.
Addressing the launch event, Sai said the state’s healthcare infrastructure has witnessed significant improvement in recent years, leading to increased public trust in government hospitals. “Due to the expansion and upgradation of health centres, people no longer need to travel long distances for basic treatment,” he said.
The chief minister added that the government has set a target to ensure ambulance availability within 15 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in rural regions. “The expansion of the 108 ambulance network will reinforce public confidence that the government stands ready during emergencies,” he said.
Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal described the initiative as a “historic step” that will benefit lakhs of people by ensuring faster emergency response. He also noted that Chhattisgarh has become the second state in the country to introduce neonatal ambulance services.
Officials said a dedicated monitoring mechanism has been put in place to track ambulance performance and promptly address delays or deficiencies in services.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance emergency medical response across the state, particularly benefiting remote and rural populations, while marking a major advancement in neonatal and critical care transport facilities.
