Kathmandu— The Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC) in Nepal launched a new ambulance service on August 17th, deploying five vehicles staffed with doctors or health workers to provide immediate medical care at patients’ homes. The ambulances are equipped with essential life-support equipment including oxygen, Ambu bags, emergency medications, and ventilators, aiming to deliver preliminary treatment before hospital transport. This initiative seeks to improve emergency response times and the quality of pre-hospital care for residents of Lalitpur.

Inspired by International Models

Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan explained that the service was modeled after an emergency medical system he observed in Makati, Philippines during a previous visit. He emphasized that implementing such a program requires more than just financial and human resources, necessitating careful planning and procedure development. The LMC is actively seeking to implement new ideas and learn from successful models in other regions as part of its broader effort to improve city services.

Advanced Equipment and Rapid Response

The five ambulances are fully equipped with a range of critical medical supplies, including oxygen tanks, Ambu bags for assisted ventilation, essential emergency medications, and ventilators. The LMC has committed to reaching patients within 15 minutes of receiving an emergency call, providing immediate assessment and treatment before transporting them to a hospital if necessary. Dr. Nabees Man Singh Pradhan, Vice-Chancellor of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, expressed confidence that the initiative would provide free pre-hospital emergency care with ventilators and doctors for residents.

Government Commends Innovative Approach

Minister for Health and Food Safety, Nisha Mehta, inaugurated the new ambulance service and praised Lalitpur Metropolitan City for its proactive approach to healthcare. She described the doctor-equipped ambulances as a “highly important and challenging undertaking,” noting that few countries have implemented such an exemplary initiative in the health sector. Minister Mehta pledged support from her Ministry to facilitate future initiatives aimed at improving citizen services. Rekha Das Shrestha, Chief Administrative Officer at the Metropolis, also lauded the service as innovative and exemplary among local governments nationwide.

The LMC anticipates that this new ambulance service will significantly improve emergency medical care for residents, offering a faster and more comprehensive response to urgent health needs.

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.