India Adopting Improved Toll-Free Services for Health Emergencies

In developing nations of thriving industries—such as India, for example—800 toll free numbers have not only found a purpose and practice, but are delivered in places where help is needed the most. However, in some cases, new solutions for emergency situations and outreaches have risen in other worlds and communities—notably India. The Uttar Pradesh Ambulance Sewa (UPAS) network, a project with an emergency toll-free service line for expectant mothers and newborns was launched, and although slightly understaffed, is now in service.

This ambulance service will have over 972 ambulances with at least two ambulances in seventy-five districts of Uttar PR. The plan will have every block and general district as well as women’s hospitals equipped with this service by the end of September. Local and accredited social health associates whom carry cell phones with the contact information for those in charge of the referral units coordinate this service. They will make sure to handle infants and expecting mothers as soon as possible. “UPAS is a dedicated service for transporting expectant mothers to the nearest first referral unit and health facilities and then bringing them back to their homes. The service would be used to transport the neonatal in case of illness to the health centers and vice-versa. On the other hand, EMTs would work as a universal ambulance service for road accidents, heart attacks, burns, riots, natural calamity and other emergency situations,” says a health official.

A recent study has revealed that over 35% of maternal deaths could have been prevented with quicker and more reliable transportation. In fact, the private taxis provided by the state health department did not take off in over 60 of the locations.

It seems that the improved toll-free services will prove to save lives. Presently over 500 ambulances allocated for this project are still collecting dust, but not for much longer as project director and National Rural Health Minister, Mukesh Meshram explains, “The entire state program management is being managed by a handful of people though the Center. This has allowed us to hire consultants and other staff. Everything will be streamlined by the end of September.”