RWAs on Kanakapura Road pool money, hire ICU on wheels for non-Covid emergencies

As the whole of the city is focussed on catering to the spike in Covid-19 cases, several non-Covid-19 patients, especially with emergency medical conditions have been left in the lurch.

While the government has pooled in all the available ambulance services to ferry Covid-19 symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, non-Covid-19 patients often find it extremely difficult to get an ambulance.

Helping patients in such distress hours, the residents of Kanakapura Road have arranged for a dedicated ambulance service for the residents of Kanakapura Road. Said to be the first of its kind by a RWA in Bengaluru, the Change Makers of Kanakapura Road - an umbrella organisation of several RWAs, has hired an ICU on wheels ambulance.

As many as 37 RWAs and Apartment complexes on the Kanakapura Road have come together to pool resources to arrange for an ambulance.

“We have entered into a contract with a private ambulance for six-months. All the 3,500 families will pay Rs 60 per month per family towards expenses. In case of simultaneous emergency cases, there will be a spare ambulance by the service provider,” explained Aleem, President of the Association.

The ambulance services will cater to the non-Covid emergency patients such as cardiac ailments and other related emergencies. “The residents have to coordinate with the BBMP or hospital for non-Covid treatment and must get confirmation for admission. Once there is availability of beds, the ambulance will ferry them to the hospital. An ICU trained nurse will be there all through the day with the ambulance. The ambulance has all the facilities of an ICU,” Aleem explained.