Patna, March 7: The state government’s plan to start free ambulance services at all primary health centres (PHCs) across Bihar has missed the deadline, yet again.

The ambulances, supposed to be specially designed to cater to the needs of expecting women, were to be known as “Janani Express”. They were to be launched in January.

Sources said the launch was delayed because of a rivalry between two firms that were vying to bag the project.

The project was first envisaged in 2010 as the government’s policy to provide ambulance services at the state-run hospitals through outsourcing. “It was eventually decided that the government will buy its own ambulances and run them in a public-private partnership mode. Over 400 ambulances were bought from Tata Motors. The service has, however, been stuck because of confusion over which company will be hired for operations,” a health department official said.

Health secretary Sanjay Kumar told The Telegraph that a firm, Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd (ZHL), had sent an expression of interest to the government for the project. But the government awarded the project to a firm from New Delhi after tenders were invited through open bidding.

“Though the project has been delayed by a couple of months, it is on track and we plan to inaugurate the services by March 22. Employees are being hired to operate the 404 ambulances that will be provided to the PHCs across the state,” he said.

The ambulances, equipped with trained health employees and life-saving equipment, would pick up expecting women and take them to the PHCs or sub-divisional or district-level hospitals for delivery. The vehicles would also drop them back home, free of cost.

According to the plan, these women can visit the hospitals again with their newborns (till one month) for any health-related complications in these ambulances. All they have to do is call up a toll-free number, 108. The facility will be operated through a centralised call centre.

The sources said the plan could still hit a rough patch as ZHL has moved Patna High Court, challenging the government’s decision to hire another firm on the grounds that “the firm was not competent enough” to operate the facility. No company official could be reached for comments.

In association with ZHL, the Bihar State Health Society had launched an emergency network service under PPP mode in the state capital three years ago. The services included ambulances equipped with pre-hospital care for emergency patients, trauma victims and expecting women.

These ambulances catered to road accident victims, cardiac patients and other emergency cases.

At present, there are five advance life-saving ambulances (trauma, critical and cardiac care) and as many basic life saving ambulances that operate within the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) area and its suburbs. Each ambulance is manned by a driver, an emergency medical technician and a trained helper to provide basic healthcare during transportation of patients.

For each trip to anywhere within the limits of PMC and its sub-urban areas, the private firm charges Rs 300.