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

CHENNAI: The State government has sanctioned Rs 1.60 crore for launching 25 bike ambulances to serve inaccessible, hard-to-reach and remote areas across the State. Better healthcare access in tribal is one of the key goals of this initiative, as lack of last-minute connectivity has led to an inability to save precious lives.

Bike ambulances will go a long way in ensuring timely medical care for underserved communities in regions with limited transportation infrastructure, where conventional ambulance services face challenges, the government said. The new service will have 25 specially equipped bike ambulances as feeder units to the existing 108 ambulance services having a fleet of 1,353 vehicles across the State.

The bike ambulances are expected to bridge last-mile healthcare gaps, providing first responder emergency services, patient stabilisation, and prompt transport of ill people to higher-level care during health emergencies. The bike ambulances will serve 25 selected remote villages, each equipped with GPS tracking for real-time fleet management and efficient response allocation. Bike ambulances which are operated in Metro cities are getting extended to critically needed remote locations, said Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department.

The service would also assist in improving maternal and child health services in hard-to-reach areas. They would provide support for critical services such as antenatal care, obstetric care, emergency transport, and child health check-ups, said Supriya Sahu. “This initiative aims to bridge disparities in extending health care, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, and bringing life-saving support to hard-to-reach communities,” she added.

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