Faridabad district Health Department faces shortage of ambulance drivers

Tribune News Service

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, January 21

The district Health Department is facing an acute shortage of ambulance drivers. At least 87 drivers are required in the department (Civil Hospital), but only 49 are available.

According to sources driver strength is 47.12 per cent short of the standard requirement. The Health Department has a fleet of 29 ambulances. Minimum three drivers are needed for one ambulance as per the duty rotation of eight hours daily, reveal the sources in the Civil Surgeon’s office.

Their functional strength has reduced to 46 as three drivers are on official duty with senior district officials it is claimed. “Given the functional strength, this staff is capable of running only 15 ambulances round-the-clock. These include 19 drivers from the Haryana Roadways, who have been shifted on temporary basis, the sources added.

The state government had sanctioned six new ambulances and one mobile medical unit, but without drivers recently.

“The strength of drivers may have gone up to 49, but their permanent number still remains at 31. Nineteen drivers will be shifted back to their parent department after some time,” said an official of the Health Department on condition of anonymity. These drivers had been deployed in the department keeping in view the ongoing Covid situation, he added.

The department is already facing shortage of doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff. However, claiming that transfer of 19 drivers to the Health Department has improved the situation, Civil Surgeon Dr Vinay Gupta said, “The department is not facing any issues at present.

Three drivers needed to run ambulance 24x7

“With a total of 29 ambulances at the disposal of the Health Department, two or three ambulances or drivers remain on the VIP duty or assigned tasks other than patient care. An ambulance needs three drivers as per protocol,” say official sources.

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