Principal Secretary Health & Medical Education Department UT Ladakh Dr. Pawan Kotwal convened a review meeting of the functioning of the ambulances and 102 & 108 Ambulance Services on September 2.

The 108 Emergency Response Service is a free emergency service providing integrated medical, police and fire emergency services whereas 102 is a free-of-cost ambulance service for pregnant women and infants. Both the services work as a complement to each other while dealing with emergency and non-emergency situations.
 
After a detailed discussion on the number of ambulances and ambulance services, their functioning and non-functioning, it was impressed upon the urgent requirement of a smooth functioning process for ease of mobility and immediate response.
 
Principal Secretary, Dr Kotwal gave directions to the concerned officers to work out a mechanism where an ambulance service can direct the nearest ambulance to reach the place of incidence without any delay. They should be placed or parked in the identified accident-prone areas or hot spots to minimize the response time. Looking at the geographical condition of Ladakh with settlements widespread in vast areas, it would be mandatory to place them in areas with access to connectivity to allow GPS tracking and every ambulance must be equipped with all the required pieces of machinery and medicines, he added.
 
Direction was also given to ensure to cater to the first come first serve basis and the severity of the accident into consideration for providing the ambulance service. Dr Pawan Kotwal stressed the integration of static, 102 & 108 Ambulance Services, and Police Ambulance services for providing ambulance services during emergencies or when the need arises.  
 
Additional Director General of Police, Ladakh Police Satish Khandare, updated the Principal Secretary about the current availability of ambulance services of Ladakh Police in both Leh and Kargil districts. Further this year Ladakh Police has started highway patrolling and have stationed ambulance services along with oxygen cylinders at nine different locations along the national highway in Leh district. The manpower has been trained with basic training to deal in case of emergencies.  The highway patrol is co-located with the ambulance service, he said.  
 
The meeting was also attended by Mission Director, NHM, Dr Iftikar Ahmad Chaudhary; Director Health Services, UT Ladakh, Dr Motup Dorjey; Chief Medical Officer, Leh, Dr Norzin Angmo & Kargil Dr. Munawar Hussain Wazir; Medical Superintendent Leh, Dr Tsewang Chorol & Kargil, Dr Kacho Liyaqat Ali, and Law Officer NHM, Stanzin Namgial and State AO Tsewang Dorjey.