Transcript Ambulance Services in West Bengal

Ambulance Services in Rural Hospitals
(RH) and Block Primary Health Centers
(BPHC) in West Bengal, India
Name of Presenter:
Rishi Riddha Anahata
Position/Company :
Secretary
Matribedi Shamayita Math (NGO)
District: Bankura, West Bengal, India
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
Emergency transport scheme (ambulance services) in RHs and BPHCs
introduced by Government of West Bengal (GoWB) through the
operational management of NGOs/CBOs under PPP to provide:
 Round the clock ambulance services at remote places benefiting the
population at large at user charges fixed by the District level authorities
Speedier transportation of accident and other critical cases
 Transportation of Delivery cases facilitating institutional deliveries
 Cashless delivery transportation to the mothers through voucher
scheme under Janani Surakha Yojna (JSY) scheme – a means to ensure
institutional delivery (Voucher scheme was introduced subsequent to
the original scheme)
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
 The
ambulance equipped with Oxygen Cylinder, stretcher and IV
stand provided by GoWB under Indo German Basic Health Project to the
NGOs/CBOs selected based on eligibility criteria on contractual terms.
 Ownership remains with GoWB. NGOs are the operating partners. All
operational expenses borne by the NGOs. Insurance premium provided
by GoWB
 NGOs collect user charges fixed by concerned authorities of GoWB in
each District to meet the operational cost.

The ambulance operates from the allocated RH/BPHC and transports
patients from the RH/BPHC as well as from the residence within the
Block . NGOs comply with the SOPs incorporated in the scheme.
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
Public Partner:
Health & Family Welfare Dept, GoWB (Agreement signed with the
Chief Medical Officer of Health of the concerned District, GoWB)
Private Partner:
NGOs
(In the District of Bankura, Matribedi Shamayita Math was
selected for operating ambulance services at Amarkanan RH and
Kanchanpur BPHC)
Other Actors:
Consultants (during the set up and up to the initial phase of post
operationalisation of the scheme)
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
 Enabling the rural population to reach
the Health facilities at
the earliest in case of emergency
 Round
the clock services at uniform user charges for the
benefit of patients at remote places, where transportation at
night is difficult
 Transportation
of delivery cases to facilitate institutional
delivery and subsequent introduction of the benefit of voucher
scheme for cashless delivery transportation
 Speedier transportation of accident and other critical cases to
higher tier hospitals as patients can be directly transported to
these hospitals under this scheme
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
 Agreement on contractual terms signed with the CMOH of Bankura
District, GoWB after selection as the operating partner.
 Orientation programme undertaken by GoWB through Consultants
explaining the scheme and SOPs
 The ambulance , provided by GoWB was placed in the allocated
RH/BPHC
 Mass campaigning of the project throughout the block through field
level worker, ANM of the sub –centres
 Cell number of the driver circulated and also provided in the
Ambulance
 Display boards on ambulance services in every sub-centres /PHC of
the block
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
 Transportation
of Delivery cases to contribute to
increased institutional deliveries
 Considerable
saving of time and efforts of patients and
their relatives in rural areas to get ambulance services.
 Better
security and safety of patients in remote areas
during transportation.
 Round the clock services at uniform rates
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
Challenges :
• Resistance from the local private car owners
•
•
Lack of proper support in the initial stage at the Block level
The rate, fixed initially by GoWB, was marginal for sustainability in
view of increase in cost of fuel.
Mitigation Plans :
• Mutual discussion along with the Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH)
of the health facility with the local private car owners
•
Mass awareness on the benefits of PPP ambulance e.g round the clock
services at uniform rates
• Interactions with CMOHs and coordination with BMOHs on issues like rates
etc
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
 Both the Ambulances are in operation
 Patient coverage of the ambulance for
Amarkanan RH in
particular was commendable compared to other RH/BPHCs in
the District in the financial years 2009-10 & 10-11
 In view of marked increase in the demand for ambulance
services, a second ambulance was launched by us in 2009-10
 The
voucher scheme under JSY for cashless delivery
transportation further contributed to the increase in patient
coverage
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
Lessons Learnt

Increased awareness of the local people on the benefits of
the scheme helpful for greater utilization of the ambulance
services

Need for regular interaction by both the partners at local
level in resolving operational issues

Review of the user charges based on operational expenses at
regular interval important for running the programme in a
sustainable manner

Sharing of good performances and success stories amongst all
the operating partners in District level meeting time to time
helpful to bring in more success.
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.
THANK YOU
28 – 29 September 2011
Vedic Village Spa Resort
Kolkata, India.