THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Ambulance Access for All (AAA) has launched its “Dial 1298 for Ambulance” service in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts after its successful launch in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. Initially, five ambulances will be operated in each district under this 24x7 service that offers anytime, anywhere access to advanced, life-support ambulance services through an easy-to-remember four-digit telephone number — 1298.
This number can be accessed from any mobile or land phone. In Alappuzha and Kottayam, the service has been launched by LifeSupporters Institute of Health Sciences (LIHS), a sister organization of the AAA. The organization plans to add ambulance coverage in two additional districts every four months and hopes to cover all districts of the state by June next year.
The “Dial 1298 for Ambulance” service will next be launched in Thiruvananthapuram district, the ‘not-for-profit’ body said in a statement here. In Kerala, the organization currently has 20 ambulances and 64 network ambulances across Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. Of these, seven ambulances are equipped with intensive cardiac care units.
The project ‘Dial 1298 for Ambulance’ has been set up by LIHS in association with the London Ambulance Service, a British government agency, considered to be the world’s best ambulance service that has provided the processes, systems, protocols, training and project implementation assistance to AAA Foundation.
“Alappuzha is the only district in Kerala with lengthy highways. As a result, accidents occur frequently. With the coming of fully-equipped AAA ambulances, we hope to bring down the death rate,” Dr. K. S. Manoj, the MP representing Alappuzha, said.
The AAA Foundation Director Ravi Krishna said the “Dial 1298 for Ambulance” services would be available in all districts of Kerala. The entire state will be covered in two years with the service available to one and all just a phone call away.
“We hope that people in a medical emergency will remember to dial 1298 as we are here to serve them 24X7. The ambulance service’s payment model is based on a user’s ability to pay and the hospital to which the patient is taken,” he said.
“AAA has established a successful track record of saving more than 1,000 lives after starting services in Kerala. Our aim is to make the service available all over Kerala by June 2009,” he said.
The AAA has an ambulance tracking system with GPS and RTS (real time tracking system), best available medical equipment and trained doctors and paramedics onboard.
