The first hour following a medical condition is called the Golden Hour, which can be the deciding factor in saving a patient’s life. The air ambulance services is aimed at reducing critical time in transporting the patient to the hospital, said Executive Director, Operations, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd, Mrs Sangita Reddy, at a press meet.
An MoU was signed between Apollo Hospitals Enterprises and Deccan Aviation, where 11 choppers (two in Bangalore) and three aircrafts of Deccan Aviation throughout the country will be linked to the air ambulance services. All 40 AHE centres will be linked to emergency air and road ambulance services, added Mrs Reddy.
In Bangalore, air ambulance service will be provided to link new Apollo Hospitals on Bannerghatta Road. Apollo Hospital has conducted 400 air evacuations throughout India in the last two-and-a-half-years, while one or two air evacuations a month is carried out by Deccan Aviation.
Air evacuations are currently being carried out on a one-on-one basis with costs varying from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per evacuation. Deccan Aviation Executive Chairman Capt Gopinath called on insurance firms to provide medical insurance covering air ambulance services on the lines of western countries.
However, it will take 30 to 45 minutes for Air Deccan to convert their choppers into air ambulances with emergency medical equipment. They will then land in a playground closest to the accident site.