Tamil Nadu to launch 25 bike ambulances for remote areas, sanctions Rs 1.60 cr

CHENNAI: The state government issued orders sanctioning Rs 1.60 crore for introduction of 25 bike ambulances in inaccessible hard-to-reach and remote areas.

The state health department aims to improve healthcare access in tribal, hard-to-reach and remote areas across in the State and this initiative is an attempt in this regard.

The initiative targets timely medical care for underserved communities in rugged regions with limited transportation infrastructure, where conventional ambulance services face challenges.

The new service will have 25 specially equipped bike ambulances as feeder units to the existing 108 ambulance services.

The ambulance network of about 1,353 ambulances currently exists in the State.

The bike ambulances are expected to bridge last-mile healthcare gaps, providing first responders emergency services, patient stabilization, and prompt transport to higher-level care during a health emergency.

The bike ambulances will serve 25 selected remote villages, each equipped with GPS tracking for real-time fleet management and efficient response allocation.

The service would also assist in improving Maternal and Child Health Services in hard-to-reach areas.

They would provide support for antenatal care, labor, safe delivery transport, and child health check-ups.

In case of emergency medical care, the bike ambulances are equipped for medical and accidental emergencies, enabling rapid transfer to healthcare facilities.

The bikes would also assist in transportation from remote areas to access points for conventional ambulances, facilitating further transfer.