Around 800 ambulances fitted with global positioning system (GPS) would be made available for patients in rural areas in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government said Sunday.

People in rural areas would only need to dial the toll-free number 102 to avail ambulance services fitted with GPS under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Minister of State for Health Shabir Ahmad Khan said.

At a meeting of the health department, the minister asked officials to complete all the requirements for launching the service, which will be available at all district headquarters.

The aim of the service was to provide timely health care during emergencies like accidents, with the focus on maternal and child health, he said.

The minister said around 800 ambulances across the state have been fitted with GPS so as to track their movements.

A control room for availing the ambulance service has been set up in each district hospital of the state, officials said.

These control rooms shall be manned round-the-clock by operators who will control and direct the flow of ambulances as per requirement.

The control room will help in ensuring optimal delivery of health care to patients calling for help, including stabilisation of the patient before transport, emergency admission, and preparation at the hospital to receive a critical patient, they said.

  800 GPS-fitted ambulances, Kashmir, rural areas