108 services see major gains under NDA, says health minister
Vijayawada: Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Saturday said emergency medical services in Andhra Pradesh, particularly the 108 ambulance network, have witnessed a marked improvement after the NDA coalition government introduced stringent eligibility and performance conditions in the tender process. He said the contrast with the previous regime was evident both in response times and service quality.
Reviewing the implementation of Dr NTR Vaidya Seva and the 108 and 104 services through a virtual meeting with senior officials, the minister said continuous monitoring by the coalition government had led to visible gains in free healthcare delivery. He pointed to a sharp rise in both beneficiaries and expenditure under Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva as proof of improved public trust and access.
Comparing data, the minister said that during 2022–24, under the previous government’s Aarogyasri scheme, 23.08 lakh beneficiaries availed treatment, averaging about 96,200 beneficiaries per month. In contrast, under the coalition government, 24.49 lakh people have benefited from Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva in just 19 months, with a monthly average of 1.16 lakh beneficiaries, a 21 per cent increase.
Financial outlays have also risen sharply. Average monthly expenditure increased from Rs 193 crore earlier to Rs 310 crore now, marking a 60 per cent rise. While the previous government spent Rs 11,577 crore over five years, the coalition government has already spent Rs 6,530 crore in 19 months, nearly 56 per cent of the earlier five-year total.
On emergency services, officials explained that the 108 contract was awarded last June to Bhavya Health Services Pvt Ltd after framing tougher norms based on past shortcomings.
As a result, ambulance response times have improved dramatically. In urban areas, the average delay is now just 37 seconds against the stipulated 18 minutes, compared to delays exceeding 12 minutes earlier. Similar gains were recorded in rural and tribal areas, with ambulances often reaching ahead of mandated timelines. Currently, 95.58 per cent of patients are reaching hospitals within the “golden hour,” compared to just 15 per cent earlier.
Officials also cited adverse observations by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the previous operator, including equipment failures, staff shortages and missed emergency calls. The minister said corrective steps were underway to ensure all 108 ambulances are fully operational by November.
Satya Kumar Yadav said Dr NTR Vaidya Seva, along with 108 and 104 services, remains central to safeguarding public health and stressed the need for constant vigilance to maintain service quality.
