Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) recently celebrated 5 years of 108 emergency response services (ERS) to the people of AP. Govt. of AP in public private partnership (PPP) with GVK EMRI had launched the 108 ERS on 15th August, 2005. The visionary initiative taken under the leadership of the AP Govt. has proved to be most successful healthcare initiative. Tremendous public response and ongoing support from the Government has helped 108 ERS save 73, 276 lives in AP.

Since the launch in AP in August 2005, the 108 ERS with the support of the Govt. has responded to 44,33,903 emergencies. The composition being 25 per cent pregnancy related, 22 per cent injuries, 11 per cent acute abdomen, 5 per cent each of cardiac, respiratory and suicidal attempts. 80 per cent of the total emergencies attended were rural emergencies. A total of 752 ambulances span the entire the state covering 23 districts. The service has helped improve access to healthcare, increased the percentage institutional delivery, reduced maternal mortality rates and has improved the overall healthcare standards.

Having launched the service in AP, GVK EMRI in PPP with state governments. have launched the 108 ERS in other eight states of Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa,Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh.

The 108 Emergency Response Service was launched in Gujarat on August 29, 2007 with 2,451 associates and 415 ambulance. Till now the ERS handled 1,595,914 emergencies and saved lives of about 70,658 people till now. The Uttarakhand ERS was launched on May 15, 2008 with 755 associates and 108 ambulance. Till now the ERS handled 219,135 emergencies and saved lives of about 2,454 people. The Goa ERS was launched on September 5, 2008 with 171 associates and 18 ambulance. Till now the ERS handled 68,447 emergencies and saved lives of about 4,701 people.

The next ERS centre was launched in Tamil Nadu on September 15, 2008
with 2224 associates and 384 ambulance. TM ERS have handled 679,564 emergencies and saved lives of about 24,138 people. Following it was Karnataka ERS which was launched on November 1, 2008 with 3011 associates and 517 ambulance. Karnataka ERS have handled 643,647 emergencies and saved lives of about 12,942 people. Soon after the Assam ERS was launched on November 6, 2008 with 1844 associates and 280 ambulance. They have handled 463,106 emergencies and saved lives of about 12,844 people. Meghalaya started the ERS on February 2, 2009 with 215 associates and 30 ambulance. They handled 25,551 emergencies and saved lives of about 2,065 people. The latest ERS was launched in Madhya Pradesh on July 16, 2009 with 55 associates and 461 ambulance. They have handled 99,304 emergencies and saved lives of about 4,967 people.

K Rosaiah, chief minister, AP, was the chief guest at the ceremony and the event was attended by B Karthika Reddy, mayor, Hyderabad; P Sabita Indira Reddy, minister for home, jail, fire services, sainik welfare, Govt. AP; D Nagender, minister for health & family welfare, APVVP & hospital services, Govt. AP; Pitani Satyanarayana, minister for arogya sree, health insurance, 104, 108 and medical infrastructure, Govt. AP; P Sudarshan Reddy, minister for medical education, Govt. AP; Dr T Subbarami Reddy, member of parliament & chairman, parlimentary standing committee on science & technology and environment & forests; M Anjan Kumar Yadav, member of parliament, J Satyanarayana, I A S, special chief secretary, health, medical and family welfare, Govt. AP to name a few.