Argus News - CM Majhi Launches 250 New Ambulances for Emergency Care

Bhubaneswar, Feb 10: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flagged off 250 new ambulances on Tuesday at a special ceremony held at Kalinga Stadium here.

This marks the second phase of the Odisha government’s initiative to reinforce emergency medical services across the state.

The first batch of 150 ambulances was launched in December last year. With Tuesday’s addition, a total of 428 new ambulances have been introduced under the 108 Emergency Medical Service. The initiative carries an investment of approximately ₹111 crore from the state government with each ambulance costs around ₹25.77 lakh.

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The newly launched fleet includes five ambulances dedicated to airport services and two advanced life support (ALS) ambulances for the Cardiac Care Hospital in Jharsuguda.

Currently, Odisha operates 866 ambulances across all 30 districts, comprising 449 Basic Life Support (BLS), 411 ALS, and six boat ambulances. These vehicles provide free emergency hospital transfers to citizens.

In addition, 500 ambulances are deployed under the “Janani Express” scheme to ensure safe transportation for pregnant women and sick children. The 108 service and Janani Express handle over 5,000 patient transfers combined on a daily basis to government healthcare facilities.

“Our government is the people’s government. Therefore, it is our priority to ensure advanced healthcare reaches everyone — from the coast to the hinterland, from villages to cities,” CM Majhi wrote his social media handle.

He stressed that the new ambulances will replace older vehicles, thereby reducing response times and improving efficiency. “Strengthening emergency healthcare transport is crucial to saving lives and ensuring timely medical attention,” added the Odisha Chief Minister.

Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling had earlier highlighted the need for upgrading the ambulance fleet, which has now been addressed through this initiative.