Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flag off Mrityunjoy ambulances at Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa, in Guwahati on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Nov. 6: Dispur will set up a state-of-the-art training institute in the state to produce a pool of paramedics to lessen the burden on doctors.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi made this announcement at a function to flag off an additional 108 Mrityunjoy ambulances here this afternoon.

According to Gogoi, proper and full healthcare cannot be provided to the people only by producing doctors.

“Paramedics play a vital role in saving lives of many by providing basic care at the initial stages of emergency cases. This has been proved by the services of Mrityunjoy ambulance service and their paramedical staff, which saved 12,000 lives in the past year. I have already asked the health department to go ahead with implementing the plan to set up the paramedical training institute,” Gogoi said.

The Mrityunjoy 108 emergency ambulance service was launched in the state on November 6 last year.

With today’s launch of 108 additional ambulances, the total strength of the service has gone up to 280.

At the function, Gogoi rewarded 10 best paramedics associated with Mrityunjoy for rendering valuable service during the past one year.

Speaking on the occasion, health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said with the increase in the number of ambulances, the people from the remotest corner of the state would get healthcare services in case of an emergency.

Sarma said the state-of-the-art Mrityunjoy ambulances would reach one’s doorstep after calling the toll free number 108.

“People will not have to pay anything for the ambulance service,” he said.

Sarma said the doctors in large government hospitals are overburdened due to lack of adequate paramedic personnel. He said that setting up of paramedical training institute would not only lessen the burden on doctors but also help create jobs.

“The state government has not become complacent by the effective service provided by Mrityunjoy in the past year. We are now going to operationalise the service through boats to provide emergency healthcare to the people living in the riverine areas like Majuli and Sadiya,” he said.

“To supplement the service, the government will set up 50 emergency stabilisation units across the state by next year. The maintenance of each ambulance is of paramount importance and recognising this, a shelter for each Mrityunjoy ambulance will be erected,” the minister said.

State director-general of police Shankar Barua said the Mrityunjoy ambulance service is also very helpful for the police.

“The number of road accidents is increasing and traffic personnel are not trained to give the basic life-saving treatment. Now we get the ambulance by simply dialling 108,” he added.