EMRI services lauded for having saved 14,000 lives
Hyderabad, August 15, 2007Former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam has called for putting in place a decentralized national emergency management mission on the lines of 108 Service currently in force in Andhra Pradesh to save lives in critical situations like road accidents. Speaking at a function, where the free 108 emergency services are dedicated by the Government to every citizen of Andhra Pradesh on the occasion of 60th Independence Day on Wednesday. He lauded EMRI for having saved 14,000 lives during the last two and half year an said it was good model of public private partnership for the rest of the country.
The EMRI's 108, 104 services from the Health Management Research Institute and the Health Insurance Scheme under a single umbrella named as the Rajiv Arogya Sri with the aim of providing quality medical care to all. The government also decided to fund upto 95 percent of operational expenses for 108 services. The former President unveiled the logo of Rajiv Arogya Sri. He said that public and private jointly sponsor the mission as an integrated project.
The Chief Minister, Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy said that as a result of the EMRI initiative, every emergency call in the State was being responded to within 20 minutes. Bringing all these three services into one umbrella, he said that 55,000 health volunteers who were appointed would also cater to the 104 services which offer medical counselling on telephone. He said that initially the Government has made a minor contribution for the efforts of the 108 service in the initial states but now is making a major contribution for the smooth operation of the service. B Ramalinga Raju, Chairman of Satyam Computer Services Limited (SCSL) said the 108 services was an exemplary demonstration of public private partnership. CEO, EMRI, Venkat Changavalli said that 3.5 lakh emergencies were attended to so far among the 6.5 million alls received by EMRI.
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