Telangana plans air ambulances

​Hyderabad: Telangana State Government is planning to introduce a chopper ambulance facility and the State Medical and Health department has taken up a study on the implementation of chopper ambulances in the European countries.

The study includes the permissions required from the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) and Central government.

A senior official of the department said that the erstwhile AP government proposed to introduce chopper ambulances at Osmania and Gandhi hospitals to address emergency medical services across the State. The TS government is developing a new concept of ‘air ambulances’ in the State.

Though the proposal is at an initial stage, officials say that the government wants to rope in chopper companies and corporate hospitals as well. The utilisation of national highways and other developed road networks for emergency landing and to airlift patients has been taken into consideration.

The chopper ambulances would also help promote medical tourism as most of the corporate hospitals in Hyderabad are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The new facility would also attract more patients from the neighbouring States.

Besides, the new facility would help to provide instant medical treatment during natural calamities like fire mishaps and heavy rains. Sources said that the government would hold a meeting soon with corporate hospitals and other stake holders to seek their suggestions before finalising modalities under the State health policy.

The air ambulance services include medial repatriation, hospital transfers, stand by ambulance and donor organ transfer.