ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, 24 May 2024 (Google translation from Gujarati)
Air ambulance is a waste of Gujarat government. 108 was airlifted 42 times for 26 organs, 15 patients by air ambulance. In which an average income of Rs 2 lakh is received per flight. On 22 May 2024, the government made some announcements regarding air ambulance. In which there was no talk of starting air ambulance to reduce the death of people in road or other accidents.
But where there is an emergency, air ambulance is not used in accidents, natural disasters. If the Chief Minister himself buys a plane worth 200 crores and flies in it, then the plane remains closed for 200 days. This plane should be used to save people in road accidents. Or start saving people’s lives by buying a new air ambulance. Or helicopters should be deployed.
50 people die in accidents every day. If they are given an ambulance, many of the 19 to 20 thousand deaths that occur per year can be saved. It is estimated that if air ambulance is available, 10 percent of lives can be saved. This means that 2 thousand people can be saved every year.
Gujarat is the first state in the country to start air ambulance service. Air ambulance service started on 21 March 2022
The charge for air ambulance service is 50 to 60 thousand per hour. 50 thousand fare if booked from 108, 65 thousand fare if booked by an individual. If the hospital asks for it, the fare is 55 thousand. It is done by the Aviation Department of the Government of Gujarat and 108 Emergency Service. Ambulance can be registered by calling 108. Private air ambulance services charge from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.25 lakh per flight hour for patients or organ transplant.
As of 31 December 2022, 6 patients benefited while 9 organs were donated. Used for 7 patients and 10 organ transportation in 8 months. Air ambulance was provided to 16 patients till 6 January 2023.
Only 14 patients have been treated in medical emergency in two years. 108 provides ambulance service in various types of medical emergencies arising in the state including Ahmedabad. 108 has done 41 airlifts including 26 organs and 14 patients by air ambulance.
Brain disease – 2 cases
Cardiac – 2 cases
Lung disease – 2 cases
Paralysis – 1 case
Overdose of poisonous drug – 1 case
Kidney and liver 8 cases
Heart 6 cases
Liver 1 case
Hand 1 case
City from which the patient was taken
Surat to Ahmedabad 13
Bhuj to Ahmedabad 4
Rajkot to Ahmedabad 3
Mumbai to Ahmedabad 2
Rajkot to Mumbai 2
Ahmedabad to Chennai 1
Ahmedabad to Mumbai 1
Bhavnagar to Surat 1
Bhopal to Ahmedabad 1
Ankleshwar to Ahmedabad 1
Nashik to Ahmedabad 1
Bhuj to Chennai 1
Bhuj to Mumbai 1
Delhi to Ahmedabad 1
Goa to Ahmedabad 1
Junagadh to Ahmedabad 1
Rajko to Chennai 1
Rajkot to Surat 1
Surat to Kochi 1
Dehradun to Surat 1
Vadodara to Ahmedabad 1
Veraval to Ahmedabad 1
This 20-year-old aircraft is often sick. Private chartered planes have to be hired compulsorily in case of organ transplant and emergency. After being used for 20 years, the Chief Minister scrapped it. They are now paying attention to it. So people are allowed to use it. Now it is used by the Gujarat government in collaboration with a private company as an air ambulance. Earlier it was the official aircraft of the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Gujarat Government Air Ambulance, operated privately in partnership with GVK-EMRI. It does not often operate for critically ill patients or for use in transporting vital organs for transplant.
The air ambulance has flown only 40 times in two years since it was launched as a medical transport service. It cannot complete flights. Started from March 21, 2022. Since then it has been used on an average of 18 days.
In two years the aircraft flew 26 times for organ transplant, making 14 trips for patients. 4 cases of brain stroke, 3 cases of cardiac, 2 cases of lung diseases were reported. Each patient had neurological event, paralysis, drug overdose, fracture and kidney problems. The number of flights for human organs for transplantation has almost doubled. 54 organs have been transported. Out of 26 organ trips, 14 were kidney and liver transplants. 8 trips were for heart transplants. 2 trips were for liver and 1 trip was for organs. 1 was for heart and 1 for lungs.
The flight has been delayed indefinitely several times. Patients do not come to work. In the first four months of 2024, two major hospitals in Ahmedabad had to get other planes. Expensive chartered flights have to be hired. Green corridors are being prepared. There are in other states. At such a time, air ambulance is a very useful option for transporting organs. In some cases, air ambulance also proves to be a boon when there is an emergency and the patient needs treatment in the golden hour.
If the patient needs to be transferred to another city in Gujarat, another ambulance-108 is obtained from another airport in the state and transported to that hospital. Thus, if the patient or organ has to be transferred within the state of Gujarat, the ambulance service comes both ways.
Surat to Ahmadabad
12 organs were transported by air ambulance between the two countries. An air ambulance service has been launched by the Government of Gujarat at a concessional rate. A special feature of the ambulance aircraft is its ability to land on extremely short runways.
Tools
The air ambulance must be a deical equipped aircraft with ECG machines, ventilators, necessary medical equipment and medical experts. Air ambulance ensures that the best treatment is given to the patient in the shortest possible time. Medical personnel, aircraft parking, aircraft maintenance are expensive. Expensive charges become a financial pressure on the already struggling family of the patient. The air ambulance is covered by insurance.
Zydus
Zydus Hospital has started working with Gujcell. Work has started rapidly to transport patients from Gujarat to the hospital.
Zydus Hospital took off Gujarat’s first air ambulance flight on 25 May 2022 to bring human organs – 1 liver and 2 kidneys for life-saving transplant surgery. Work was started to save three precious lives. This was the first incident when organs from Keshod were brought to Ahmedabad for transplantation through air ambulance.
Time is of the essence in organ transplantation. Once the organs are removed, they must be transplanted as soon as possible.
The CEO of Gujsail was Captain Ajay Chauhan. The Continuous Airworthiness Manager of Gujsail was Devang Patel. The Beechcraft King Air 200, piloted by Captain Laxman and Captain Rajesh, is the most used aircraft in the world as an air ambulance.
In 15 years till May 2022, 1 crore 35 lakh patients were given emergency treatment in 108 ambulances. There were 46 lakh patients in pregnancy cases and 17 lakh in road accidents. Every year 1 lakh patients are injured in accidents. Many people die due to lack of immediate treatment.
Politics
When Anandiben Patel became the Chief Minister in 2014, she announced that the Gujarat government would soon start ‘Air Ambulance Service’. The work of preparing its blueprint had also started in Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
When Amit Shah and Narendra Modi removed Anandiben from the post of Chief Minister, the project stopped.
The new Chief Minister Vijay Rupani came. Instead of starting the air ambulance service for the public, he spent Rs. 191 crore on buying a new business jet (aircraft). The Bombardier Challenger 650 has luxurious cabins of world-class level like the meeting room of the Evenstar Hotel.
If approved, the air ambulance project would have started on 29 March 2020. This would have helped in providing immediate treatment to countless corona patients. But due to the mischief and cannibalism of the BJP, it could not start.
The proposal for the air ambulance project was sent thrice in 3 years but did not get approval. Before March 2020, after the announcement of the very important ‘Air Ambulance Project’ for medical tourism, the proposal presented thrice was rejected by the government. The manipulation of two big political leaders was responsible.
Transportation of patients in emergency situation is very important in the foundation of medical tourism. Medical tourism has a heart.
At present, there are helipads in three hospitals in Ahmedabad. Civil Hospital, SVP Hospital and private sector Apollo Hospital have helipads. When every minute is precious, this project was necessary.
In an emergency situation, when every minute is precious, then air ambulance is very important to cover hours of distance in minutes to bring the patient from other remote areas of the state.
But air ambulance was not purchased to save 2 thousand people.
Vehicles
In 2020, Rs 65.77 crore was fixed for purchasing new vehicles in Gujarat. There were also new vehicles for the Chief Minister. Rs 1.44 crore was spent on purchasing vehicles for the Chief Minister. It was decided to buy vehicles worth Rs. 3.21 crore for the Governor.
Huge expenditure
In February 2024, the government announced in the Assembly that due to the clumsy administration of Gujsel, the Chief Minister and the Governor are often unable to get helicopter service on time.
In two years, the government spent Rs 58.51 crore on the maintenance of aircraft and helicopters. Rs 19 crore spent on maintenance of aircraft purchased for Rs 197 crore
30 crore spent annually
The Gujarat government had purchased Bombardier Challenger-604 aircraft in 2019 at a cost of Rs 197 crore. Rs 25 crore will be spent on the maintenance of this aircraft in 2022. Rs 2 crore was spent. Rs 9 crore was spent under other expenditure in 2022.
Rs 1 crore was spent in 2023. Rs 7 crore 32 lakh was spent in 2023.
Not all places in Gujarat have runways and as a result aircraft cannot be taken to all places. That is why helicopters are used more.
Rs 60 crore were spent on maintenance of aircraft-helicopter, salary of pilot-staff, parking charges at airport and fuel in two years.
Gujarat had hired an old helicopter from a private company in Delhi.
A new helicopter
The helicopter is ten years old. Preparations are being made to buy a new helicopter. (Google translation from Gujarati)
