The first helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) accessible to common people is expected to be rolled out in March, sources told Fe. At present, though some private operators offer such services, they are prohibitively expensive and beyond the reach of the masses.
HEMS Sanjeevani will be run by government agencies with direct access to the AIIMS’ helipad.
The chopper will be based at AIIMS, Rishikesh. It will be used to transport patients from hilly and unaccessible areas in Uttarakhand.
As per the sources, this scheme will be operational with the deployment of a single-engine helicopter fitted with one stretcher.
The chopper equipped with lifesaving equipment will also ferry one medical personnel and a technical crew.
“A team comprising pilots, engineers, and medical personnel will be deployed 24×7 near the helipad to evacuate patients to the hospital from hilly terrains and unreachable areas of Uttarakhand,” sources said.
The operations under this scheme will recover patients within a 150-kilometer radius of AlIMS, Rishikesh Helipad, in 20 minutes.
As of now, regulatory clearances are being sought from the DGCA.
“The regulatory process is in the final stages, and the operator has to carry out test flights and other technical evaluations for operations,” sources said.
An MoU has already been signed between MoCA, MoHFW (AIIMS), and the Government of Uttarakhand (UCADA) for the execution of this project.
According to the sources, the model of this service will be first rolled out in Uttarakhand and later offered to other states to emulate under the guidance of MoCA.
“Some state governments like Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha have shown early interest in this scheme,” sources said.
Chopper operator Pinnacle Air was awarded the bid to deploy its Airbus H-125 EMS helicopter for the project.