Nashik Ambulance
Kumbh Mela being one of the major religious gatherings of the holy city of Nashik, The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has taken utmost care to roll out effective medical care during Kumbh. The NMC plans to outsource ambulance, mobile clinic staff for the devotees of the Kumbh Mela. NMC has planned manpower and services to efficiently provide medical care during Kumbh for its four Basic Life Support (BSL) including ambulances, a cardiac ambulance and 14 vans for mobile clinics for the Kumbh Mela.
These health vehicles will be operational even after the Kumbh with the help of outsourced manpower. Nashik is one of the four cities, where the Kumbh is held after every 12 years. The next Kumbh Mela is expected to begin from July 14 of next year. Around 75 lakh people and three lakh sadhus are expected to arrive in the city for the event. Hence it is imperative to have planned systems to reach out to various devotees and give them medical care during Kumbh in the time of need.
An NMC official said, “We already have a cardiac ambulance and we will buy three more BSL ambulances for the service of the people. Each ambulance will require a total staff of 12, including medical officers for three shifts per day. As we don’t have adequate medical staff right now, we plan to outsource medical staff from a Pune-based private institute. The staff outsourced will provide medical care during kumbh will continue later as well.”
Devotees take a dip
The official added that talks were on between the NMC and the Pune-based private firm for the outsourcing of medical staff for ambulances and other vehicles for health services. “The ambulances and other vehicles will be purchased by inviting tenders and the process will begin after the state assembly elections. We plan to outsource the staff before we purchase the vehicles,” the official said.
The NMC has decided to purchase three BSL ambulances and 14 vans for mobile clinics. The tender process for the purpose will start after the state assembly elections. Apart from the three ambulances, the NMC already has a ‘Cardiac and trauma ambulance’, which has been gathering dust at its vehicle workshop near the Panchavati divisional office of the municipal corporation for the last two years due to lack of appointment of medical staff.
Nasik Kumbh Mela will take place next year.
