A memorandum of understanding was signed here at the Karachi Airport on Monday between the Local Councils Association Sindh and Aircraft Sales and Services Limited) (ASSL) for launching a free air ambulance service for emergency evacuation of passengers from Ghotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur to Karachi.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Local Government Minister, Saeed Ghani said the new air ambulance service would ensure speedy transportation of the critically ill patients from three towns to Karachi for their emergency treatment.
He said that a proper agreement to this effect would be signed between the local councils of the three cities and ASSL.
He said that speedy transportation of critically injured patients from faraway cities and towns, at six hours distance from Karachi, had always been a challenging task.
He told the audience at the MoU signing ceremony that launching of an air ambulance service for this cause was a major achievement to ensure the saving of precious lives.
Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Energy, Planning & Development Minister, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, said the launching of the air ambulance service in Sindh was in accordance with the vision of Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
He mentioned that delay in the case of transportation of the critically injured journalist, Jan Muhammad Mahar after he came under an attack, from Sukkur to Karachi proved fatal in his case.
Shah told the audience that the landing strips available in Badin would also be used to launch the air ambulance service.
Chairman of Local Council Association Sindh, Syed Kumail Hyder Shah, said the upcoming air ambulance service would ensure speedy evacuation of the patients from South Punjab and North Sindh to save their lives.
ASSL CEO, Akbar Jafferi, informed the audience that his company had been providing air ambulance service for the entire country. He said the emergency evacuation of the patients was being undertaken from Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Quetta, and other towns of Balochistan.
He said the air ambulance service to be launched for three cities of Sindh would be equipped with the facilities of stretcher, ventilator, oxygen supply, doctors, and para-medical staff.