UP cuts ambulance response time for mothers to 7 minutes

TNN

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has reduced the response time of its 102 ambulance service for mothers and children from more than 11 minutes to just over seven minutes in the past few years.

On the eve of Mother’s Day, officials of the health department said the average response time of the 102 ambulance service dropped from 11 minutes and 28 seconds in 2016 to 7 minutes and 6 seconds at present, making Uttar Pradesh the fastest state in the country in ambulance response despite being India’s most populous state.

Officials said the faster response played a crucial role in ensuring timely medical intervention for pregnant women, particularly during childbirth emergencies in rural and remote areas, where delays in reaching hospitals often proved life-threatening.

The improvement is being seen as a key contributor to the decline in the state’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR). According to the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) 2021-23, Uttar Pradesh’s MMR fell from 216 per lakh live births in 2015-17 to 141 in 2021-23.

ACS Medical and Health Amit Ghosh said the state inducted 1,554 new ambulances in 2019 and another 674 in 2023, replacing older vehicles with modern ambulances equipped with improved healthcare technology.

In addition, 306 extra ambulances were deployed to strengthen emergency coverage across districts. At present, 2,270 ambulances are operating under the 102 Mother and Child Service, assisting an average of 40,524 mothers and children every day.

Mission Director of National Health Mission, Dr Pinky Jowel, said response times remained above 11 minutes between 2016 and 2021 and even touched 13 minutes during the COVID-19 pandemic.