<p>“The day-long conference will also deliberate on how crucial is heli-ambulance service to save patients during the golden hour, especially in grid-locked metros and cities of India,” Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) southern region president Wing Commander Unnikrishna Pillai told IANS here Monday.<br /><br />Aero medical specialists in choppers provide advanced life support to serious patients in-flight or at the accident spot. The copters are turned into mini-intensive care units (ICUs) for trauma care to individuals and mass casualties.<br />According to state-run Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, there is an urgent need for about 100 heli-ambulances across the country to provide emergency medical services and another 80 for disaster management.<br /><br />Organised by the state-run RWSI, the seminar will educate stakeholders on promoting such an efficient service and on building capacity to popularise it.<br /><br />The Indian hospital industry is keen on introducing the heli-ambulance services soon, as many precious lives can be saved and avert national loss of human resource.<br />“But at Rs.200,000 per trip, heli-ambulance service is cost prohibitive if hired privately and becomes affordable if hospitals and service operators join hands to provide such a life-saving mode,” Pillai said.<br /><br />The heli-ambulance service is, however, not covered by insurance yet.<br />About 120 delegates from across the country, representing healthcare, insurance, copter service firms and related sectors are participating in the conference.<br />India has a fleet of 260 private copters, including 40 used for oil and gas exploration.<br />In contrast, the US has a whopping 11,860 choppers, Canada 1,675 (rotorcraft) and Japan 940.<br /><br />In times of natural calamities and medical emergencies, the government deploys military choppers to evacuate the affected people.<br />“The choppers are mobilised from helicopter bases located nearer to the place of disaster,” according to OSS Air Management, a copter service firm.</p>
<p>“The day-long conference will also deliberate on how crucial is heli-ambulance service to save patients during the golden hour, especially in grid-locked metros and cities of India,” Rotary Wing Society of India (RWSI) southern region president Wing Commander Unnikrishna Pillai told IANS here Monday.<br /><br />Aero medical specialists in choppers provide advanced life support to serious patients in-flight or at the accident spot. The copters are turned into mini-intensive care units (ICUs) for trauma care to individuals and mass casualties.<br />According to state-run Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, there is an urgent need for about 100 heli-ambulances across the country to provide emergency medical services and another 80 for disaster management.<br /><br />Organised by the state-run RWSI, the seminar will educate stakeholders on promoting such an efficient service and on building capacity to popularise it.<br /><br />The Indian hospital industry is keen on introducing the heli-ambulance services soon, as many precious lives can be saved and avert national loss of human resource.<br />“But at Rs.200,000 per trip, heli-ambulance service is cost prohibitive if hired privately and becomes affordable if hospitals and service operators join hands to provide such a life-saving mode,” Pillai said.<br /><br />The heli-ambulance service is, however, not covered by insurance yet.<br />About 120 delegates from across the country, representing healthcare, insurance, copter service firms and related sectors are participating in the conference.<br />India has a fleet of 260 private copters, including 40 used for oil and gas exploration.<br />In contrast, the US has a whopping 11,860 choppers, Canada 1,675 (rotorcraft) and Japan 940.<br /><br />In times of natural calamities and medical emergencies, the government deploys military choppers to evacuate the affected people.<br />“The choppers are mobilised from helicopter bases located nearer to the place of disaster,” according to OSS Air Management, a copter service firm.</p>