By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd (ZHL), the esteemed operating agency for the 108 ambulance service in Odisha, in collaboration with Ambulance Access for All (AAA), has launched a state-of-the-art mobile Blood Donation Van. The van was officially handed over to the Odisha Blood Centre BMC Hospital on Thursday , with the esteemed presence of Dr Brundha D,, MD of NHM-Odisha, who flagged off the van during a ceremony. Numerous NHM and ZHL officials were also in attendance.
The newly launched mobile van is equipped with cutting-edge facilities essential for blood donation procedures, including collection equipment, donor beds, and short-term storage solutions. This initiative aims to expand the reach of blood donation campaigns and facilitate localized blood collection efforts.
During the event, Sabyasachi Biswal, State Head of Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd, expressed his thoughts, stating, “From last 10 years, we have been successfully providing emergency ambulance services to the people of the state. As a responsible emergency service provider, ZHL has always been at the forefront of fulfilling its social commitments to save and enhance as many lives through multiple initiatives in sustainable healthcare. We regularly organize blood donation camps in Bhubaneswar and other districts. Today, with the launch of this van, we reaffirm our dedication to serve the people of Odisha.”
Naresh Jain, Co-Founder, ZHL added, “Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd is committed to enhance emergency healthcare services in the state. This initiative will undoubtedly help in collecting blood directly from door to door, encouraging more people to come forward and donate blood. Our target is to collect 5000 units of blood annually. ZHL over the years have supported multiple social initiates from donating blood, raising fund for families of frontline workers affected by pandemic, tree plantation drive, wheel chair or trencher donations to district hospitals, as we strongly believe in improving giving back to the society.”
ZHL currently operates 1124 ambulances under the 108 ambulance service across all 30 districts of Odisha. To date, this service has benefited over 90 lakh patients, including pregnant women and children. Additionally, six 108 boat ambulances are stationed in areas that are cut-off by rivers. The dedicated call center tirelessly attends to distressed patients, promptly dispatching the nearest available ambulance to ensure swift transportation to hospitals. The Bhubaneswar-based integrated center’s executives efficiently locate patients and assist them in receiving the necessary medical attention at the earliest.
The 108 ambulance service was launched on March 5, 2013. This essential emergency healthcare service has bridged the gap between patients and government healthcare institutions, overcoming barriers in both urban and remote rural areas of Odisha.
Apart from patient transportation, the crew members of ZHL have consistently gone above and beyond their duty, often playing vital roles in saving precious lives. Their honesty and dedication have been acknowledged by the public, with instances of returning valuable belongings of patients to their families, donating blood to needy patients in emergencies, and providing exceptional assistance to patients in need.
