Gandhinagar, May 10 : The Gujarat government has announced the integration of 542 general ambulances into the state's 108 ambulance service.

These ambulances, which were previously stationed at various health institutions, will now be operated under the 108 emergency service system to enhance the state's ability to provide timely and efficient emergency medical assistance.

The newly integrated fleet includes 118 ambulances from primary health centres, 310 from community health centres, 59 from sub-district hospitals, 31 from district hospitals, and 21 from medical college-affiliated hospitals.

This strategic integration will streamline emergency responses, particularly for inter-facility transfers (IFT) and nearby emergency cases.

At present, the 108 emergency service operates a fleet of 800 Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support ambulances, along with 38 ICU-on-wheels across the state.

With the addition of 119 new ambulances this year, and the inclusion of the 542 reallocated vehicles, the total number of emergency ambulances in Gujarat will rise to 1,499.

This expansion marks a substantial upgrade in the state's emergency medical infrastructure and aims to ensure faster and more efficient emergency medical services for residents.

The integration of these ambulances is expected to bring several key benefits to the state's healthcare system.

Over the past two years, the 108 emergency service has already assisted more than 28.6 million people, and the inclusion of the 542 ambulances will further strengthen the emergency healthcare response.

The current daily workload for inter-facility transfers is nearly 350'400 cases, with response times averaging 21.04 minutes in rural areas and 11.26 minutes in urban regions.

With the expanded fleet, the state aims to reduce the average response time from 16.5 minutes to just 10 minutes.

Additionally, the ambulances will be integrated into the Smart Referral System, enabling real-time tracking of critical patient transport and ensuring patients are directed to the appropriate healthcare facilities promptly.

The reallocation of ambulances previously stationed at hospitals will also improve the availability of vehicles for both general and critical emergencies, ensuring optimal utilisation of resources.

The integration of standardised medical equipment, consumables, and trained personnel across all ambulances will ensure consistent and high-quality pre-hospital care.

Emergency service availability in remote and rural areas will be enhanced, allowing for quicker access to ambulances and critical care.

The system will also feature real-time data integration, enabling precise location tracking and performance analysis to inform future improvements.

With all ambulances being GPS-enabled and centrally managed through the Chief Minister's dashboard, coordination during crises such as natural disasters or epidemics will be more efficient.

The Gujarat government has allocated Rs 104.77 crore annually to fund this expanded initiative, which will cover the operationalisation of the new fleet, integration with emergency protocols, training, and management across the state.

/IANS