Rickshaw Ambulance: Now, autos with oxygen facility in Pune

Taking the concept of autorickshaw ambulances further, businessman Dhananjay Datar, popularly known as Masala King, has spearheaded an initiative called ‘Rickshaw Ambulance’ which is fitted with oxygen cylinders and other facilities for Covid-19 patients.

Datar, CMD, Al Adil Group, UAE, jointly promoted the facility along with Swadesh Sewa Foundation and Baghtoy Rickshawwalla Forum -- both Pune-based NGOs.

Under this initiative, a fleet of 25 autorickshaw ambulances equipped with oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment has been readied for transporting the Covid patients who are in critical condition and need oxygen while shifting them from their homes to a nearby hospital.

These rickshaw ambulances will provide service initially in the sister-cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding areas, including Mulshi, Mawal, and cities like Bhor, Ahmednagar and Sangli.

The promoters have set a goal to increase the number of rickshaw ambulances from 25 to 100 in the near future.

“Since the pandemic is not over yet, we should be more alert to provide medical care to the needy sections of society. We should not forget the miserable conditions of patients who were deprived of oxygen in critical conditions and suffered a lot. I am sure that the rickshaw ambulances will serve the purpose,” said Datar.

Elaborating on the concept, Dhanashree Patil, the coordinator of the initiative and founder of Swadesh Sewa Foundation said, “The recent second wave of Covid-19 has made us realise the importance of oxygen in critical conditions. Also, another prominent aspect underlined was the importance of transporting the patients who need oxygen to nearby hospitals immediately. The unavailability of oxygen cylinder or an ambulance in time leads to serious problems and may even cause a patient to lose his life.”

According to her, the families of oxygen-deprived patients panic in such situations.

Sometimes the problem occurs when a patient’s home is located in a small alley. “Due to the narrow road, ambulances can’t reach many places. These autos are a solution," she said.

A team of expert doctors is also contributing and helping in our initiative. This team will continuously remain in touch with rickshaw ambulance drivers and will guide them.

The team of drivers is already trained under the guidance of these doctors for carrying out activities like using a pulse oximeter, checking the level of oxygen by handling an oxygen flow meter, and supplying oxygen to the patient in the right quantity.

Dr Keshav Kshirsagar, founder of Baghtoy Rickshawwalla Forum said: “Our drivers will transport the patients while adhering to the pandemic guidelines. Every rickshaw ambulance will carry only one patient. The driver will wear a mask and the vehicle will be sanitised completely. This service will be free of cost for those who can’t afford the fare, and for others, it will be moderate.”

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