Shahbaz Sharif launches motorcycle ambulance service

Lahore : The Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the free motorbikes ambulance service in the Punjab, today. It has been launched under the aegis of Rescue 1122. After the inauguration, he visited command and control center of Punjab Emergency Services and inspected its different sections.

He was also given briefing about free motorbikes ambulance service along with the detail of necessary medical equipment provided for lifesaving purposes.

The Chief Minister inspected the march-past of the staff of motorbikes ambulance service and also witnessed the practical demonstration of rescue by the staff of motorbikes ambulance service. Announcing to start free motorbikes ambulance service in all the 36 districts of the province, the Chief Minister said the scope of this service will soon be extended to every district of the province. He also announced to give monthly risk-allowance to the rescuers.

Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Minister said that rescuers have rendered invaluable services for saving human lives and they as well as other concerned departments deserve accolades. This ceremony is an important milestone for accelerating the core mission of public service. It is also a beautiful part of the story full of glories and successes. The system of free motorbikes ambulance service has been introduced with the new approach under the Rescue 1122. The execution of this unique idea came into my mind when a mother belonging to a poor family of suburban village of Kasur had to move from pillar to post upon in different hospitals after failing to avail the ambulance service and at last, she died down in Jinnah Hospital. I felt bitter pain and sorrow over this tragic incident and I immediately decided to handover the ambulance service of different hospitals to the Rescue 1122. Rescue 1122 has taken over this responsibility and now the system of shifting of patients to the hospitals has been sufficiently improved and today, free motorbikes ambulance service has been launched to step up this system. This is the first of its kind motorbikes ambulance service in the South Asia and nine divisional headquarters of the Punjab have been chosen for this service. However, this ambulance service has been formally started from Lahore today and the service will also be launched in rest of the divisions within next few weeks. The staff comprising of 900 motorbikes will work for this service in nine divisions and later on, this motorbikes ambulance service will be introduced in 36 districts.

He said that this wonderful service has been started to facilitate the people and in case of any emergency, timely first-aid will be provided in alleyways. In case of emergency, the motorbikes ambulance service will provide immediate rescue and first-aid in congested localities and narrow passageway. Due to this service, medical aid will be provided to the affected citizens well in time and the ambulance will also be available alongside. It is the fastest mean to reach out to the people in case of any emergency and I congratulated Health Ministers, Chief Secretary, DG Rescue 1122 and other line departments.

He said that recruitment of the staff for this service has been made purely on merit while master-trainers have been given training in Turkey and the next badge of master-trainers is going to Turkey soon. I am thankful to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Deputy Prime Minister Recep Akdag as well as the health ministry for their support in launch of this service.

He said that he reached to the affected people personally when the worst flood in the 100 year history inundated the Southern Punjab in 2010. Then, I personally monitored the marvelous performance shown by the Rescue 1122 in this flood. Another flood came in 2014 in the Punjab and I again stood with my brothers like a solid rock. An area in Hafizabad was nearly drowned and the water level was also rising. There was a possibility that the entrapped people of the area would not be rescued. When I reached there, I found that boats were available but there were neither operators nor any petrol and it was also night time. Later, I arranged operators as well as the petrol and DG Rescue 1122 reached to the spot and people of the area were rescued collectively which made me glad. I was happy to see this passion and commitment because service to humanity requires such passion and commitment. The great social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi was also full of the passion of service to ailing humanity and once, he went out to save the injured of a train accident leaving his ailing grandson behind. There is no doubt that such a passion of Abdul Sattar Edhi helps nations to move further. Similarly, Dr. Ruth Pfau of Germany served the ailing humanity for sixty long years and this service and passion is always remembered by the ailing humanity.

He said the Punjab government has launched a new project of free motorbikes ambulance service today to serve the ailing humanity and the people who have started it are earning heaven in this world. He said the Swedish Ambassador as well as the high-level delegation of Turkey is also attended the ceremony. Turkey has always sided with Pakistan and its cooperation for the project is commendable. Similarly, Sweden is a friendly country which is helping us to improve the road safety.

While addressing the rescuers, the Chief Minister said that he is confident that the oath will be abided by fully as you are young souls with high passions. You have been selected on merit and no one got this job by gratification or recommendations. With the grace of Allah Almighty, the system of merit and transparency is moving further in the Punjab. Rescue 1122 has also provided its services to Sindh, KPK and Balochistan and this is no benefaction because we are like brothers and it is our moral obligation to help each others.

The Chief Minister said that some of the political elements are involved in leveling baseless allegations and misstatements. They speak lies through wrong advertisements. For the sake of Allah, do not teach lies and allegations to the youth because it will run amok the country and the nation will never allow it to be happened. If the country is required to move further in accordance with sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah then the path of honesty, trust and hard work will have to be followed.

He said rescuers are the benefactors of the ailing humanity and a crown of our heads. As it is imperative to fulfill the basic needs of life, therefore, I announce to give risk-allowance to the rescuers which will be provided along-with their monthly salary. He said that when he came back after exile and the people elected him and made him Khadim-e-Punjab in the general elections of 2008, then he, first of all, increased the salaries of police and judiciary which incurred an additional burden of Rs.8 billion to the Punjab kitty. It was done so because the people working in police and in the judiciary may not have to look here and there for fulfilling their basic needs. He said that Pakistan has been hollowed due to the corruption to the tune of billions and trillions of rupees and added that for the sake of Allah, set aside this hypocrisy now. You cannot run metro bus service in Peshawar as no work has been done there, but you are conspiring to deprive the citizens of Lahore from Orange Line Metro Train. Do not snatch the right of latest transport facilities from the people of Lahore as about two years have passed and the work has been halted at 11 points of the project of Orange Line Metro Train just because of you, because one of your party workers has moved the court and took stay. You cannot understand that how an ordinary person reaches to his place of work. You do not know how a widow earns her livelihood and how a student makes it to the educational institution for studies. You move in luxury vehicles and live in palaces. Daily 2.5 lakh passengers will use the Orange Line Metro Train and their total number will reach to five lakh soon. He said the elements that have done nothing for the metro bus project in Peshawar even after a passage of more than four years cannot understand the traveling problems of the common man. It is sheer hypocrisy which the nation will not tolerate at any cost.

DG Rescue 1122 Dr. Rizwan Naseer told that the scope of Rescue 1122 will be extended to all the tehsils by the end of this year. Our response time is in accordance with the international standards and more than 50 lakh people have been rescued till today; while damages to the tune of Rs.240 billion have been secured due to timely rescue operations. He said that the service is being launched with 900 motorbikes and the people will be provided emergency service at their doorsteps. He thanked Turkey for its cooperation in the launch of free motorbikes ambulance service and told that the rescuer staff will go to Turkey next month for training. He also took oath from the staff of the new service.

International expert Edward Jorge Burn termed the service as a unique initiative of the Punjab government to facilitate the people during emergencies. The Swedish Ambassador Ms. Ingrid Johansson said that a wonderful initiative has been taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and congratulated the Punjab government and other line departments for the launch of the service. She said the motorbikes ambulance service will benefit the common people by providing service in alleyways and bazaars where routine ambulance cannot reach. He said the Chief Minister is providing important facilities to the people and added that Rescue 1122 has provided a unique ambulance service today. Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq also spoke on the occasion.