NHM audit finds AC failure in 28 ambulances among 88 violations

Jaipur: A National Health Mission (NHM) audit has revealed serious lapses in Rajasthan's emergency ambulance services, highlighting non-functional air conditioners in 28 ambulances even as the state braces for sweltering summer.

The audit, conducted between March 3 and April 9, inspected 825 ambulances under the 108 emergency response service and flagged 88 grave deficiencies.

"The inspections were conducted via a mobile application. A show-cause notice has been issued to EMRI Green Health Services (EMRIGHS), which operates the govt's ambulance fleet," said a health department official.

Pointing out a range of deficiencies, the report mentioned that six ambulances were found without proper fire extinguishers, one had a non-functional oxygen flow meter, and four lacked basic mechanical tools. Four ambulances did not carry the required medicines, essential surgical items were missing in three, and two had either empty or faulty oxygen cylinders.

The report said that staff in some vehicles were not in the prescribed uniform, two ambulances were without nurses and others lacked biomedical waste bins. Some ambulances had tyres or stepneys in poor condition, no dressing materials, and were unclean or poorly maintained.

Technical issues such as non-functional headlights, sirens, or indicators were also highlighted, along with a case where the driver's mobile app not working.

Responding to the audit, EMRIGHS clarified that the defects did not mean 88 separate ambulances had issues. "All ambulances are operational. None are off-road," said Madhusudan Bhomia, state head, EMRIGHS Rajasthan.

"During inspection, each of the 825 ambulances was checked on 23 parameters — totalling 18,975 checkpoints. Only 88 defaults were found, which is just 0.46%," Bhomia said. "We have taken all audit findings seriously and already rectified the deficiencies," he added.

Despite the agency's assurances, NHM officials have warned that the current standard of ambulance management violates the terms of Request for Proposal (RFP). The health department has urged immediate corrective measures, emphasising the critical need for reliable emergency services during the intense summer months.