Air ambulances to offer emergency evacuation of patients in Bangalore

The helicopter division of Deccan Aviation has tied up with a leading private hospital in Bangalore to launch air ambulance service for emergency evacuation of patients.

The air ambulance service is expected to bring down the alarming rise in number of patients who die en-route to the hospital on the roads of Bangalore, which have become notorious for the traffic jams.

The air ambulance service launched jointly by Deccan Aviation and Apollo Hospitals in Bangalore will take just 30 minutes to respond to an emergency situation.

According to the Executive Director of Apollo Hospitals Sangita Reddy, the choppers will be fitted with oxygen cylinders and other medical paraphernalia, including a surgeon and paramedical staff, before they take off for medical evacuation. The air ambulances will land at the closest possible site to evacuate the patient. “The treatment can begin while the patient is in the hospital”, Ms Reddy said.

Ms Reddy laid emphasis on the “golden hour”, the first hour following the medical condition, for saving the life the patient. “Air lifting and medical evacuation can help save lives of accident victims and critically ill patients”, she said.

With the cost of medical evacuation ranging from Rs 100,000 to 200,000, depending on the distance to the hospital, or about Rs 75,000 per hour, Apollo Hospitals and Deccan Aviation are planning to rope in medical insurance companies to drive up the market.