Bhubaneswar: The health and family welfare department has decided to replace small vans presently used to carry pregnant women to the hospital under the 102 ambulance services with sturdier vehicles.

Maruti Omni vans are now used as ambulance for carrying expectant mothers and infants to the hospital. Now, these will be replaced with sturdier vehicles in the next contract with the service provider.

To execute the change, National Health Mission director Shalini Pandit has requested the transport commissioner of Odisha to provide specifications for a sturdier vehicle, which could operate as ambulance in hilly, remote and areas with bad roads. The state has 500 vehicles under the 102 ambulance service for the transportation of expectant mothers and sick infants.

"The contract with the service provider will expire in the next three months. We will put the necessary changes and procure spacious vehicles for the ambulance service," said an official of health department.

"It is a good move of the government to replace the small vans. There should be spacious vehicles for such emergency services," said social worker Alok Mohanty.

Besides, strengthening the ambulance services, the health and family welfare department on Thursday decided to make special provision of free screening of HIV-AIDS for the pregnant women at the district headquarters hospitals and other territory health care institutions of the state.

The department sets an ambitious target to eradicate HIV-AIDS and syphilis among mothers and children by 2020. In the first phase, the services will be introduced at health institutions in Khurda, Balangir, Bargarh, Dhenkanal and Jagatsinghpur. The National Health Mission and the Odisha State Aids Control Society will execute the job.

"HIV-AIDS is an infectious disease and could spread from the womb if mother is diagnosed positive of it. We target the mothers and the infants for the screening," said an official.