108 Ambulance Call Centre filled with non-emergency and unwanted calls on daily basis

Mohali, May 26, 2022:  Ziqitza Healthcare Limited, responsible for handling emergency cases across the state of Punjab, has received 19, 658 nuisance calls in the last 3 months from March 2022 to May 2022.

The centralized call center 108, which is dialed during times of emergency, receives n number of unwanted calls, which causes a hindrance to serving genuine emergencies in need. 108 ambulance services that are meant to serve people during the time of distress have been many times sent to the location where there was no emergency to treat, perhaps such irrelevant calls, affect the ones in need of an ambulance. Such calls don't only waste a lot of time, but deprive one of the treatment, resulting in the loss of loved ones.

A large number of calls are majorly received from Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar, Mohali, and Amritsar. Such irrelevant calls affect emergency help to people who are in dire need of medical attention. Due to such hoax calls, many times, calls of needy people are not able to reach the helpline.  

Lots of irrelevant calls are received on 108 call centers daily," for recharge filling,  fire brigade, home equipment, and groceries, and many times abusive & sensitive words are used towards women employees working. On a few occasions, callers cancel the ambulance after being sent to the location, which delays getting an ambulance to a person who needs it.

Sharing views, Saikat Mukherjee, Project Head 108 Ambulance said, 108 is committed to serving people during times of need. However many times people take disadvantage of emergency services, by making repeated nuisance calls, causing a hindrance to those who genuinely need emergency services. On average we receive tota emergency 2000-3000 calls on a daily basis and the number of such calls is higher in the morning hours. If such fake calls are removed, and the genuine remaining calls are heard, many precious lives would be saved and treated in the golden hour.

It's my request to people that they must refrain from misusing emergency services and dial 108 only during the time of need

Also being responsible citizens of the country, we must give way to an ambulance, as they play pivotal role in the golden hour. Every second counts in a medical emergency, it may mean the difference between life and death.