Since its inception in August 2005, the 108 medical emergency response offerings has stored the lives of over 2 million sufferers throughout 15 states and a couple of union territories.
Started by the Emergency Management & Research Institute (EMRI), a non-profit presently below the aegis of Indian conglomerate GVK, the 108 provider attends to “80,000 calls day by day and touches a population of 800 million,” in line with K Krishnam Raju, Director, GVK-EMRI. Besides, it has additionally instituted a miles-needed structural change in how emergency hospital therapy is added to India’s poorest patients in urban and rural regions earlier than they’re taken to a medical institution. EMRI changed into first an initiative undertaken by means of Ramalinga Raju, Chairman of Satyam Computer Services.
First conceptualized in (united) Andhra Pradesh by way of the overdue Dr. AP Ranga Rao, a person of remarkable intellect and ardor who possessed a burning choice to do something for the human beings, a robust clinical emergency gadget turned into Rao’s primary focus. Spending near a decade working with the British National Health Service (NHS) mastering approximately emergency structures, his vision became to introduce the identical for India’s public health machine.
Nonetheless, it was Venkat Changavalli, the primary CEO of the Hyderabad-based Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), who turned into the actual architect at the back of 108. And, for the problem, if it weren’t for his father, Venkat would have in no way even taken up the job.
“I turned into the CEO of a German multinational primarily based out of Chennai, when I chaired a conference titled ‘Beyond Creating Value’ in January 2005. The chief visitor on the time become Satyam Computer Services chairman Ramalinga Raju. Following the conference, Raju approached me with an offer of doing something concrete in emergency offerings. He didn’t have 108 in mind or even an actual plan, however, wanted to faucet into my extensive corporate enjoy, passion for innovation and a latent preference for a public carrier,” says Venkat, in a distinct communication with The Better India.
Initially, he had rejected the suggestion, unwilling to give up his excessive-paying task and wasn’t prepared to get into public carrier just but. However, communication with his father, a retired faculty trainer, modified everything. His father said building a legacy, asking Venkat to utilize his time, money, abilities and knowledge to assist the thousands and thousands he doesn’t realize. Following the communication, Venkat called up Raju and on 15 April 2005, he took over as CEO of EMRI.
Before the 108 provider became operative, researchers at EMRI had predicted that 4 million Indians have been death every yr due to insufficient clinical emergency offerings. Of the 4 million deaths, around 60 in keeping with cent (2.Four million) have been associated with cardiac-related emergencies, observed by 1,50,000 pregnancy-related deaths, 1,40,000 avenue coincidence fatalities, respiratory misery, snake bites and suicide tries, amongst different reasons.
“Through its studies, EMRI has [also] discovered that 10 according to cent of Indians face emergencies however either don’t recognize them as such or have nowhere to name,” says this July 2010 Harvard Business Review report.
“Instead of 1 quantity human beings can dial for clinical emergencies, there were multiple helpline numbers for government and private hospitals. Moreover, there were no standardized ambulances that offered pre-medical institution care. These vehicles have been in large part transporting ambulances with out the needful equipment or expertise to stabilize a patient. If these facilities were to be had, patients were charged an exorbitant amount. Government ambulances have been there but in bad operating condition. This becomes the scenario,” recalls Venkat.
EMRI first signed a settlement with the (United) Andhra Pradesh authorities on 2 April 2005, stating that the latter could be a non-investment partner whilst the EMRI, with its own budget could layout, deploy and run the ambulances at their personal cost.
“Receiving Rs 34 crore from Ramalinga Raju and 17 participants of his own family, I utilized this corpus of funds to construct the EMRI building, sold hardware for a name center, bought its first 30 ambulances and commenced the emergency carrier on 15 August 2005,” says Venkat.
First launched in Hyderabad, the 30 ambulances have been strolling in Tirupathi, Vishakapatanam, Vijayawada, and Warangal through September quit.
Within a few months, but, Raju wanted to extend the field of EMRI’s operations. Borrowing Rs 40 crores from a financial institution, EMRI launched any other 40 ambulances. By June 2006, they have been running 70 ambulances in about 50 towns and towns in Andhra Pradesh. They used the primary Rs seventy-four crores to build infrastructure, buy the ambulances, hardware and meet operational costs.
Although privately funded, the State government became carefully overseeing the project. Upon seeing the achievement of the operation, the State government, in August 2007, determined to fund 95 in step with cent of the operation. The events signed a 2d agreement at the same the following month.
As in line with the second agreement, the government might fund the acquisition, and operation of these ambulances, besides conduct performance critiques. Meanwhile, EMRI might inform them approximately the price of ambulance, equipment, how plenty of money becomes spent each area and highlight performance signs, among others.
“By August 15, 2007, the State authorities had 700 ambulances walking on its 108 services. We were nominated as a single nodal organization to run the 108 ambulance provider with total operational freedom,” informs Venkat.
