Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

CM flags off mobile medical units, advanced life support ambulances

- HT Correspond­ent letters@htlive.com ▪

When patients are made to sit on the floor during treatment, there is an issue.

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that government hospitals could give tough competitio­n to their corporate counterpar­ts, if they managed their resources well.

Addressing a gathering after flagging off 53 mobile medical units (MMUs) and 100 advanced life support ambulances (ALSAs) at Indira Gandhi Pratishtha­n, he said, “The Ayushman Bharat scheme is a major step in contributi­ng towards health expenditur­e. Hospitals can utilise funds in a manner that improves their infrastruc­ture and facilities.”

The MMUs are equipped to offer pathology services as well as devices for monitoring blood pressure and heart rate. Each unit has a doctor, a nurse and a laboratory technician. It can handle even cases of heart attack and stroke.

“Two years ago, if a person wanted to use a cardiac care ambulance, around ₹25,000 was charged for travelling a distance of about 500km to a higher centre. Today, that money can be saved with the ambulance service provided by the government,” said Yogi.

The CM also said that the condition of hospitals degraded after 1996. “This happened as there was no proper support despite increased patient load. But now, once again, condition of hospitals is improving,” he said.

In all, 170 MMUs will be launched for 53 districts in phases. At present, there are two ALSAs in each district, running under the 108 service. An official said they had benefited 80,691 serious patients from April 2017 till February 17, this year. “The inter-district transfer of patients via ambulances will be coordinate­d by the chief medical officers and the chief medical superinten­dents,” he said.

YOGI LAUDS HEALTH SERVICES IN KUMBH

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath appreciate­d the health department for services offered in Kumbh Mela, particular­ly the manner in which the healthcare staff attended to patients.

During his address after flagging off MMUs and ALSAs in Lucknow, the CM highlighte­d several issues faced by the common people

YOGI ADITYANATH, UP CM

in hospitals and said that if these were addressed, the image of hospitals would improve appreciabl­y.

“Patients are often given treatment while they sit on the floor, but if anyone is deputed to manage beds for them, their satisfacti­on level will really go up. Patients don’t complain that the doctor did not see them or that they didn’t get medicines. But when they are made to sit on the floor during treatment, there is an issue,” he said.

 ?? SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT PHOTO ?? CM Yogi Adityanath, flanked by minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, ▪ launching MMUs and ALSAs in Lucknow on Monday.
SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORT­Y/HT PHOTO CM Yogi Adityanath, flanked by minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, ▪ launching MMUs and ALSAs in Lucknow on Monday.

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