Thiruvananthapuram Accident Rescue Project won't be able to replace 108 ambulance

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The upcoming Thiruvananthapuram Accident Rescue Project (TARP) that will link private-public ambulances to the police control room using mobile applications might look like a cost-effective replacement for the ailing 108 ambulance service but they are not, say experts. The long term sustenance of TARP is bleak as the stakeholders involved have diverse interests, they say. As per estimates, there are adequate ALS (Advance Life Saving) and BLS (Basic Life Saving) ambulances in the private and public set up in the capital. With a new mobile-based application, police can guide the nearest GPS enabled private ambulance to the rescue spot.

However, the TARP fleet will almost entirely involve 'passenger ambulances' with not even a splint and collar in them. The project also involves luxurious ALS ambulances of private hospitals that will be sensitive to the miles they cover. "The IMA has said that, if an ambulance does not get paid, it will reimburse the amount. This is dichotomous to the rules as the Motor Vehicles Department can reprimand anyone who demands money after an accident rescue. Also, private ambulances will ply only to the institutions that cater to their monetary interests," said a 108 ambulance staffers.

"There is no denying that 108 ambulance services are dying. The 108 control room cannot spot many of its ambulances because the GPS system installed by Keltron does not work well," he added. Meanwhile, the police who was expected to coordinate TARP was still to meet its earlier commitments to provide spine boards in police vehicles under a project named SMILE. Meanwhile, 108 services have just 24 ambulances as one vehicle was recently lost to an accident at Navaikulam. Around eight of the ambulances would soon go out of service due to their appalling condition, sources said.