GVK EMRI, which runs the 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulance service, has sent a proposal to the state government seeking smart phones for ambulance drivers.
K Krishnam Raju, president, GVK EMRI, said after a press conference on Wednesday that this is being done to ensure that case details are digitised. “We have sent the proposal to the government and are yet to get a response,” he said.
There are 12 forms that the ambulance driver and paramedic are expected to fill, including those for case details, medicines consumed and fleet maintenence. Should the government give a nod, all these would be fed through the phone.
Through a mobile phone application ‘Blue Flock’, ambulance pilots will also be mandated to use a biometric system of marking their attendance. This comes after there were reports that drivers are overworked.
“It was brought to our notice that drivers are not working in shifts alloted to them. They would ask the other drivers to swap duty with them and accumulate their leaves to take them all at once. The ones on duty would be under extreme work pressure. Hence, to avoid such situations, they will now be asked to swap and log in with the finger print system which will work through the phone,” he added.
The estimated cost of providing each pilot a mobile phone is Rs 9 lakh. Besides this, Rs 150 would be the cost incurred every month to have these phones working. In Karnataka, there are 710 four-wheeler ambulances and 30 motorcycle ambulances.
Mobile units
Beside this, a proposal has also been sent to the state government by GVK EMRI to start mobile units across the state. This facility is already available in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and other states. Through the mobile units, they aim to reach out to rural masses and provide door-to-door medical services. The proposal states that the state might need 25 of these units at an estimated cost of Rs 25 lakh.
200 staff terminated
S S Pervez, senior manager, GVK EMRI said that 800 new staff members have been recruited and 500 staffers who were on protest, have been taken back on duty. However, over 200 who were terminated would not be taken back, he added.
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