Karnataka

Chitradurga district to get 17 ambulances

Chitradurga: Health Officer Timmareddy has said the district will be soon get ambulances under the Arogya Kavacha scheme so that round-the-clock emergency services are available to the people.

Speaking at a workshop organised for journalists on the National Rural Health Mission here on Wednesday, he said the Government planned to introduce hi-tech ambulances in all districts to provide better medical facilities. By dialling 108, people could request for the ambulances. “For every one lakh people, the Government will grant an ambulance. As the district has nearly 17 lakh people, we expect 17 vehicles soon,” he said.

Mr. Timmareddy said the Government had introduced several schemes with the objective of increasing institutional delivery and reducing the Infant Mortality Rate. According to a survey, for every one lakh women in the country, 368 died during pregnancy, while 228 of every one lakh infants died owing to inadequate healthcare facilities.

To improve the situation, the Government had introduced various schemes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana and the Madilu scheme. Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, Rs. 700 would be given to women who delivered children in hospital, while Rs. 500 would be given if the delivery took place at home. The Government was giving a kit worth Rs. 1,334 under the Madilu scheme to all mothers. It contained 17 items such as soap and warm clothes for the mother and child. Mr. Timmareddy said the district had registered a 75.5 per cent increase in institutional deliveries after the schemes were introduced.

He said 25 Primary Health Centres (PHC) in the district had been identified to provide round-the-clock medical facilities for people in rural areas. Three staff would be present at each PHC at all times.

Besides, the district hospital was also holding camps for specialists twice a month so that they were trained in specialised medical care for the benefit of the poor, he said.

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