Members of ‘108’ Ambulance Workers Union staging a demonstration in Madurai. | Photo Credit: R. ASHOK
The ‘108’ emergency ambulance services were started in 2008 in Tamil Nadu as a Public Private Partnership and which received accolades for their rapid and prompt response system initially, alleged irregularities that have been surfacing for the last few years have put their working model in question.
Akin to other States, the non-profit joint initiative between the Tamil Nadu government and EMRI Green Health Services (formerly known as GVK EMRI) reportedly enabled a service model combining public funding with technological support and managerial competencies from the private entities, with a common goal of achieving safe and timely transportation.
The answer to whether the goal has been achieved or not, according to researchers and health professionals, should be that the ‘108’ emergency services enhanced the otherwise dormant Emergency Medical Service (EMS) into a more active one.
They clarified that with the establishment of an integrated network of trauma centres through Government Taluk Hospitals, Primary Health Centres and Urban Primary Health Centres, Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative (TAEI), the EMS too had evolved to adhere to the need of emerging population.
