Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday flagged off 58 new hi-tech ambulances to impart quality health services in the state.
With the latest inauguration, the fleet of ambulances across the state has reached 325 so that people avail health services on time.
Mann, along with Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, dedicated these ambulances to the people of the state thereby ensuring that they are available to people in the hour of distress, a government statement said.
"The ultra modern Ambulances have been mandated to reach to the needy patients within 15 minutes in Urban Areas and 20 minutes in Rural Areas," the chief minister said.
These GPS-enabled ambulances will work in tandem with the 'Sadak Surkhya Force' (Road Safety Force) and will ensure that people's lives are saved in case of emergency by providing health care facilities to them at times, he added.
The 58 hi-tech ambulances have been purchased at a cost of Rs 14 crore and are equipped with life-saving drugs and modern equipment.
These ambulances will act as a catalyst to provide primary treatment to the patients so that their lives are saved well in time.
"The fleet of ambulances in the state has been already doing a great service to the humanity as more than one lakh patients were safely transported to hospitals through these ambulances in current year," Mann said.
This includes 10,737 heart patients, 28,540 pregnant women and others, said Mann, adding that 80 babies were delivered safely in ambulances.
The 'Sadak Surkhya Force' is coordinating with the 108 helpline number to use ambulance services to save the lives of commuters who met with road accidents, he said.
The Punjab CM said the 'aam aadmi clinics' have revolutionized the health care sector in the state. He said 1.75 crore people have taken the benefits of these clinics in the state, and more than 95 per cent of patients visiting these clinics daily recover from their ailments.
He added that the state government is giving a major facelift to the health sector. A lot of resources and funds are being pumped in to upgrade the health sector in the state to ensure that people get access to quality health services.