Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 28: The health ministry is considering a proposal to merge its helplines and provide integrated health services through a single call centre. If this decision comes through, health helpline No. 104 and Arogya Kavacha ambulance service (108) may be merged into a single helpline.

Currently, the helpline No. 104 is used to provide information about services and facilities extended by the health department. The other helpline number 108, is meant for ambulance services. These two numbers have separate call centres, which put financial burden on the government. There have also been complaints about deficiency in services. Therefore, the government is thinking of merging of these two services, and provide transparent services by adopting modern technology.

Sources in the department said that a technical advisory committee has been formed for this purpose, and the department plans to retain either of these numbers. In the new system, it connects callers to different departments and provide health information. It also works as complaint redressal centre by receiving the complaints and referring them to concerned officials. The helpline also proposals to provide solution to problems of teenagers, cancer patients, those who tried to kill themselves, those who go through depression, and others. For minor ailments, advice and information about nearest health services will be extended, thus reducing burden on public health facilities.

In the case of ambulance service, apart from providing ambulance service at the earliest, connecting to doctors to provide first aid till ambulance arrives, helping them with reaching specific hospitals instead of running from pillar to post etc will be undertaken. For this government and private hospitals will be mapped and with GPS, locations of ambulances will be tracked, officials of the department explained.

Deputy director of the Emergency Management and Research Institute, Dr Prabhudeva Gowda, said that more ambulances will be added in the coming days to reach a target of one ambulance per 60,000 population from the current 92,000 per ambulance.