New '108' ambulances are equipped with facilities to handle cardiac emergencies (Representational)
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane today said the state government has decided to assign a doctor at government-run hospitals to attend to cardiac patients brought by ambulances of the '108' service. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today inaugurated 10 new '108' ambulances installed with advanced life-support system.
"A doctor would be attached to the 108 ambulances handling cardiac cases. Though the doctor would be sitting in casualty of the government-run hospitals, he or she will immediately attend to the patient," Mr Rane told reporters.
The newly launched ambulances are equipped with facilities to handle cardiac emergencies in the state. He said the health department has also decided to convert worn-out '108' ambulances into hearse vans by refurbishing them.
"There are several people who have to pay to carry dead bodies. These ambulances can be converted into hearse vans. We will be able to have optimum utilisation of these vehicles as hearse vans as they are not fit to be used as ambulances," he said.
The minister said the '108' ambulances are fitted with global positioning system or GPS and their movement is monitored from a control room.