The Himachal Pradesh Government is all set to launch a five-year project, ‘Hospital on Wheels’, a government-run ambulance network with an onboard veterinarian to provide on-site treatment to injured and sick animals.
Informing about the project, state Animal Husbandry Minister Virender Kanwar said the state government will launch the Centre-sponsored mobile ambulatory veterinary clinics this month for which necessary preparations have been made.
The Central government has sanctioned Rs 7.04 crore during the current financial year for setting up the Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) for livestock, migratory sheep, and goat rearers for the eradication of veterinary diseases in the state.
A provision of Rs 16 lakh has been made for the vehicle, vehicle furnishings, equipment required for veterinary treatment, publicity equipment, and fabrication under the project. Apart from this, equipment related to veterinary, minor surgery, artificial insemination, and disease investigation will be installed in the vehicle, he added.
He stated that these MVUs will be customised fabricated vehicles for veterinary healthcare with equipment for diagnosis, treatment, minor surgery, audiovisual aids, and other basic requirements for the treatment of animals. One of the major facilities these ambulances will provide is the ‘Hydraulic Lift’ facility to lift animals and shift them to the nearest Government Veterinary Facility in case of emergency. Only the animals that cannot be treated on-site will be transported to hospitals.
In addition, the Animal Husbandry department is establishing a 24×7 veterinary telemedicine facility with a toll-free number 1962 similar to 108 ambulance services to offer these services.
These ambulance services will be run on PPP Mode under which the state government will hire a private agency to operate and maintain these services for which the government will provide budgetary support to private agencies to operate and maintain these units.
A total of 44 mobile ambulances (veterinary) clinics will be placed at block level in the initial phase on the lines of 108 ambulance services for providing veterinary services at the doorstep.
A veterinary doctor and a para-veterinary worker will be assigned to every ambulance and the vans will be stationed at strategic locations to minimize traveling time.
This is the first such statewide facility on wheels for animals fully equipped and customised for their treatment. Injured/sick animals in the remote areas will be treated on-site and left with their local caretakers instead of being brought to overcrowded hospitals.
The ambulance facility will be a game-changer as tough geographical and topographical conditions in the state makes it difficult to cover it in its entirety, that too with limited resources. Transportation is also big stress for the animals and on-site treatment will do away with the need for it as well.