Dial-108, or one-zero-eight, is a free telephone number for 24X7 emergency service in India for medical, police and fire emergencies. It is currently operational in 20 states one among them being Andhra Pradesh and 1 Union territory. Government of Andhra Pradesh in Public Private Partnership with GVK EMRI launched the 108 Emergency Response Service on 15 August 2005. This system was introduced nationwide by former. Union Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss. When an emergency is reported, the call taker at the Emergency Response Centre (ERC) gathers the needed information, including location, and dispatches appropriate emergency services; be that an ambulance, police assistance, or a fire engine. Emergency help dispatched through this process is expected to reach the location of the emergency in an average of 18 minutes. Pre-hospital care will be given to patients during transit to hospital. Patients are transported in ambulances well equipped to handle emergency situations.
Without a doubt, an EMS (Emergency Medical service) personnel provide us invaluable service They tirelessly work to alleviate the suffering of others literally carrying lives in their hands. As a part of our learning programme ATHITI, Grade VIII and IX students interacted with Mr M Lokesh, emergency medical technician, 108 service of Tuni Mandal. Mr Nagaraju Pailet of the Ambulance was also dare to show the well-equipped ambulance to the students. Mr. Lokesh gave a detailed explanation on the Emergency services 102,104, and 108. While 102 is provided for dropping the delivered women from hospitals to their home, 104 conducts health camps in villages and provides medicine for general ailments, Diabetic patients and BP patients in villages 108 works “24x7” for 365 days. It means no holiday for this service. He informed that 108 is a toll-free number free of cost. The following emergencies are considered to utilize the service- read accidents, heart attacks, brain strokes, fits, paralytic strokes, Deliveries, appendicitis, electric shocks, drowning, shake bites, scorpion sting, animal bites etc. The children learnt about the Emergency response centre at Amaravathi and how the communication is passed from the victim’s side to the centre. The students were given demonstration of various equipment in the ambulance to understand the care taken by the EMTs during emergencies. This programme was worth experiencing for the students as well as the staff.
