LAHORE: The Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the free motorbikes ambulance service in Punjab on Tuesday, which has been launched under the aegis of Rescue 1122. After the inauguration, he visited command and control centre 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 that 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, he said. He further informed that the idea for the service came to him after learning about a poor woman who passed away after being unable to avail an ambulance service.
He said that the free motorbikes ambulance service has been launched to step up the system in place through Rescue 1122. He said that this is the first of its kind motorbikes ambulance service in South Asia and nine divisional headquarters of the Punjab have been chosen for it. The service has been formally started in Lahore on Tuesday and would be launched in the rest of the divisions within the next few weeks.
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. He thanked the 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 there is a great spirit in the country of helping the ailing and paid homage to Abdul Sattar Edhi for his service to humanity. He said that the Punjab government had launched the project to serve the ailing humanity and the people involved in it will earn their place in heaven.
While addressing the rescuers, the chief minister said that he is confident that the rescuers will abide by their oath fully. You have been selected on merit and are young souls with great passion, he said. He announced to give risk-allowance to the rescuers which will be provided along with their monthly salary.
He added that 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 other. The chief minister said that some of the political elements are involved in leveling baseless allegations and misstatements. He said that if the country is required to move further in accordance with sayings of Quaid-e-Azam, then the path of honesty, trust and hard work will have to be followed.
Rescue 1122 DG 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, he said.
