CARES 1122 : Service to be extended to rural areas

PM has recently approved extension of coverage of ambulance service to rural Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Almost half of the Islamabad’s total population residing in rural and remote areas will soon be able to benefit from an ambulance service.

Islamabad’s civic agency will extend the Capital Ambulance, Rescue and Emergency Services (CARES) 1122 to rural areas.

The Prime Minister’s office has given the go-ahead to the project under which six new stations of the ‘1122 emergency service will be established at different locations in the rural areas.

In the first phase, seven ambulances pledged by the Chinese government will be made available, said an official privy to the development.

“The existing infrastructure at basic and rural health units in the rural areas will be used to develop the six new stations,” the official said.

Currently, the rural areas have 12 basic health units and two rural health units.

In urban areas, there are seven centres of 1122 service located in sectors I-8, I-10, F-10, G-10, E-10, F-6 and G-6.

The CDA Spokesperson, Ramzan Sajid, when contacted, confirmed the development saying the authority was in the process of finalising the project.

He said the project was aimed at bridging the widening gap between urban and rural areas of the city in terms of provision of basic civic facilities.

“The service will respond to all calls related to accidents, emergencies, and medical and surgical problems arising out of disasters and transportation of injured and sick to nearby public hospitals,” Sajid said.

Under the project, Sajid said, two porta cabin stations of the service would also be established along the Islamabad Highway from Zero Point to Rawat.

The head office of the service already exists at the CDA-run Capital Hospital where operators receive emergency calls and direct them to the nearest station.

“The emergency response time will be seven minutes,” the spokesperson said.

Currently, the CDA has a staff of 168 employees who work in shifts.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2016.