Chandigarh, June 13,
In a significant step towards ensuring timely, accessible, and quality healthcare, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh flagged off 46 new hi-tech ambulances on Friday, further strengthening the state’s emergency medical services. This addition brings Punjab’s emergency ambulance fleet to 371, greatly enhancing its lifesaving capacity.
The new fleet includes seven ‘Child Memorial Ambulances’ dedicated to Samana (Patiala) in memory of children who lost their lives in a tragic road accident on May 7, 2025. Equipped with advanced medical technology, these ambulances will serve as a tribute while improving emergency response in the region.
Dr. Balbir Singh shared that the ambulances are fitted with cutting-edge equipment, including oxygen, ambu-bags, life-saving drugs, and GPS-enabled tracking systems, ensuring a response time of 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas—among the best in India and within international standards. “We aim to reduce this to 10 minutes, ensuring critical care within the golden hour,” he added.
watch….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bTesmfoaok
The 108 Ambulance Service, a cornerstone of Punjab’s emergency healthcare since 2011, has served over 30 lakh citizens, providing critical care during accidents, cardiac emergencies, maternal health crises, and trauma cases. “With these new ambulances, we ensure no call for help goes unanswered,” Dr. Singh emphasized. He highlighted the ‘golden hour’—the critical first hour after an emergency—where timely intervention can save lives, noting the 108 ambulances’ coordination with the Sadak Surakhiya Force (SSF) in reducing fatalities through immediate on-site aid
watch……https://shorturl.at/wZXYA
Dr. Singh also praised the dedication of paramedics, drivers, and emergency responders for their tireless service. The new ambulances will be deployed across districts, including Barnala (1), Bathinda (1), Faridkot (1), Fatehgarh Sahib (3), Fazilka (1), Ferozepur (1), Gurdaspur (2), Hoshiarpur (1), Jalandhar (1), Kapurthala (2), Ludhiana (4), Mansa (2), Moga (2), Mohali (2), Muktsar Sahib (1), Malerkotla (2), SBS Nagar (2), Pathankot (2), Patiala (11), Rupnagar (1), Sangrur (2), and Tarn Taran (1).
The event was attended by Chairman Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC) Raman Bahl, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Kumar Rahul, Managing Director PHSC Amit Talwar, Director Health Services Punjab Dr. Hitinder Kaur, Director Family Welfare Punjab Dr. Jasminder Kaur, Director State Insurance Punjab Dr. Jaspreet Kaur, Director National Health Mission Punjab Dr. Balwinder Singh, Director Procurement PHSC Dr. Pawanpreet Kaur, Dr. Gurharminder Singh, Additional Director, Director of Environment & Climate Change-cum-State Nodal Officer, Mission Tandrust Punjab, and Project Head of 108 Ambulance Service Manish Batra.
