Lucknow: The principle of ‘Time is Life’ is being demonstrably proven true in Uttar Pradesh, where the Yogi Adityanath government has achieved a massive reduction in emergency medical service response times, making healthcare more accessible and efficient across the state.
Through significant expansion and technological upgrades, including GPS tracking and sophisticated communication tools, the government has slashed the response time of the 108 Emergency Ambulance Service from 28.12 minutes (in 2014-15) to a mere 7.25 minutes today—a fourfold improvement. Similarly, the 102 Maternal and Child Health Ambulance Service has seen its response time drop from 19.10 minutes to just 6.58 minutes.
Expansion and Technological Upgrade
Since taking office in 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has prioritized the standardization and rapid delivery of health services, particularly in rural, backward, and remote areas like Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal.
Fleet Strength: The state’s ambulance fleet has been significantly strengthened with the addition of approximately 2,249 new ambulances.
Advanced Life Support (ALS): Over 250 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances are now operational for critically ill patients. These ambulances are equipped with life-saving devices such as ventilators, defibrillators, and advanced medical equipment, enabling immediate, on-site critical care. So far, over 7.14 lakh serious patients have benefited from the ALS service.
GPS and GIS Mapping for Rapid Response
The key to this dramatic improvement is the integration of advanced technology. All ambulance services are now equipped with GPS tracking and communication devices.
Call center operators utilize GIS mapping to identify and dispatch the nearest available ambulance with optimized routing. This technology minimizes delays caused by traffic or poor road conditions. For serious cases, especially during complicated deliveries, the system allows for online consultation with specialist doctors, providing critical on-the-spot medical guidance.
This proactive approach has already yielded substantial results in public health, contributing to a notable reduction in both maternal and infant mortality rates in the state.
Saving Lives and Building Trust
The combined 108 and 102 ambulance services have provided immediate medical assistance to over 13.26 crore patients since 2017.
The 108 service has assisted approximately 3.57 crore people in emergencies.
The 102 service has facilitated safe transportation and delivery for nearly 9.62 crore pregnant women.
The success and efficiency of the UP ambulance service have been recognized internationally, including praise from the World Bank in its 2018-19 report. Looking ahead, the Yogi government is exploring innovations like Drone Ambulances and AI integration to further bolster the service, establishing Uttar Pradesh as a leader in public healthcare delivery.
