The Government of Sikkim on Thursday launched an expanded 102/108 Ambulance Service under the National Health Mission (NHM) to strengthen emergency healthcare across the state. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) flagged off the new fleet in the presence of Health Minister G.T. Dhungel and senior officials from the Health and Family Welfare Department.

The 102 and 108 Ambulance Services are toll-free, 24×7 referral transport services. While 102 ambulances primarily serve pregnant women and sick neonates up to one year, 108 ambulances cater to trauma and emergency patients. In Sikkim, both services have been integrated into a single system for optimal utilization.

The ambulances are Basic Life Support (BLS) vehicles, equipped with essential medical equipment and life-support kits, and staffed by trained drivers and paramedics. Initially launched in West District in 2018 with eight ambulances, the service has now been expanded with nine additional vehicles: one in Gangtok, two in Pakyong, and six in Namchi.

The service provides free pick-up and drop to health facilities, inter-facility patient transfers, postnatal drop-back services, and transport for sick infants up to one year. The expansion underscores the state government’s commitment to accessible and timely healthcare for Sikkim’s residents.