Technical glitch stalls 108 ambulance service

BENGALURU: A technical glitch grounded the government-run 108 ambulance services across the state, putting patients to hardship since Saturday. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, responding to the problem, assured that alternative arrangements were being put in place to ensure that patients do not face any problems.

A patient was being transported to hospital by autorickshaw in Bengaluru.

A large number of calls were made to the 108 call centre, but only 10 in 100 calls were being attended to, creating a health emergency in the state.

In 2008, the hardware supplied by Oranges Technology had witnessed a virus attack which resulted in patients struggling to get an ambulance on time.

A team of technical service providers in 108 ambulances’ office.

The ambulance service was affected due to a technical glitch, and people who had financial resources arranged private ambulances while other patients had to wait for hours to go to hospitals.

Jayamma (65) of Idhalli village died by the time the family could arrange an ambulance.

A patient in Bengaluru had to wait for three hours to come from Victoria Hospital to Bowring Hospital, and patients were also transferred through private vehicles. A woman, identified as Jayamma (65) of Idhalli village in Madhugiri taluk of Tumkur district, died by the time the ambulance arrived, as her family members could not get an ambulance on time.

“The 108 ambulance service, which had been disrupted since Saturday night, has been restored now. All the technical issues have been resolved, and ambulances are operating as usual,” said Hanuman, head of the 108 ambulance service.