Karnataka to cut 108 ambulance response times to 10 minutes

The Karnataka State Health Department has initiated a plan to significantly reduce response times for the 108 Arogya Kavacha ambulance service in Bengaluru and across the state, aiming to cut the emergency transit window from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. Health Minister U.T. Khader announced the new measures during a press conference on Thursday, highlighting the government's focus on strengthening emergency medical services and improving pre-hospital care for patients.

The proposed 10-minute target is being referred to by the State Health Department as the 'platinum hour' of emergency medical response. Under the existing national benchmark, the standard emergency framework—often called the 'golden hour'—envisages that patients should be successfully transported to a treatment facility within 20 minutes.

However, Minister Khader acknowledged that meeting this 20-minute benchmark has historically been difficult. Due to various factors, the state has not always been able to guarantee this timeline in all emergency cases.

"Due to various factors, it has not always been possible to ensure this timeline in all cases. We are now introducing changes in the system with the aim of achieving a 10-minute response time, which we are referring to as the platinum hour," Khader said during the press conference.

According to the minister, the restructuring of the 108 Arogya Kavacha scheme will place a heavy focus on improving pre-hospital care. Khader explained that emergency care must begin as soon as the ambulance reaches the patient, rather than being limited to the duration of the journey to the hospital.

To facilitate this immediate care, the state's ambulances are staffed with trained nurses and medical technicians. These professionals are tasked with providing immediate medical assistance and stabilizing patients while they are in transit to healthcare facilities. Through these systemic changes, the State Health Department aims to ensure that critical pre-hospital care is delivered swiftly and effectively during the newly designated 'platinum hour' response window.