Since its inception in August 2005, the 108 medical emergency response offerings have stored the lives of over 2 million patients across 15 states and a couple of union territories. Started with the aid of the Emergency Management & Research Institute (EMRI), a non-profit currently under the aegis of Indian conglomerate GVK, the 108 provider attends to “80,000 calls daily and touches a populace of 800 million,” in step with K Krishnam Raju, Director, GVK-EMRI. Besides, it has also instituted a much-needed structural alternate in how emergency hospital therapy is added to India’s poorest patients in city and rural regions earlier than they are taken to a health facility. EMRI become the first initiative undertaken through Ramalinga Raju, Chairman of Satyam Computer Services.
First conceptualized in (united) Andhra Pradesh by using the past due to Dr. AP Ranga Rao, a person of exceptional intellect and passion who possessed a burning choice to do something for the humans, a robust scientific emergency system was Rao’s primary cognizance. Spending near a decade operating with the British National Health Service (NHS) studying approximately emergency structures, his vision became to introduce the identical for India’s public fitness system. Nonetheless, Venkat Changavalli, the first CEO of the Hyderabad-based Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), became the real architect at the back of 108. And, for the problem, if it weren’t for his father, Venkat could have never even taken up the activity.
“I was the CEO of a German multinational based totally out of Chennai when I chaired a convention titled ‘Beyond Creating Value’ in January 2005. The leader visitor at the time become Satyam Computer Services chairman Ramalinga Raju. Following the convention, Raju approached me with a proposal of doing something concrete in emergency services. He didn’t have 108 in mind or maybe a real plan, but wanted to tap into my extensive company enjoy a passion for innovation, and a latent desire for public service,” says Venkat, in a one-of-a-kind communique with The Better India.
Initially, he had rejected the notion, unwilling to give up his excessive-paying process, and wasn’t prepared to get into public service just but. However, a conversation with his father, a retired college teacher, modified the whole lot. His father spoke of building a legacy, asking Venkat to utilize his time, money, competencies, and understanding to assist the tens of millions he doesn’t understand. Following the conversation, Venkat called up Raju and on 15 April 2005, he took over as CEO of EMRI.
Problem declaration
Before the 108 providers have become operative, researchers at EMRI had envisioned that four million Indians had been dead every yr because of inadequate scientific emergency offerings. Of the 4 million deaths, around 60 according to the cent (2.4 million) have been related to cardiac-related emergencies, accompanied by 1,50,000 pregnancy-associated deaths, 1,40,000 avenue accident fatalities, respiratory distress, snake bites, and suicide attempts other causes. Through its studies, EMRI has [also] learned that ten percent of Indians face emergencies, but both don’t realize them as such or have nowhere to name.
SInstead of one variety of humans who can dial for scientific emergencies, there were multiple helpline numbers for authorities and personal hospitals. Moreover, there have been no standardized ambulances that offered pre-clinic care. These cars were in large part transporting ambulances without the considered necessary gadget or understanding to stabilize a patient. If those centers had been to be had, patients had been charged an exorbitant quantity. Government ambulances were there, however in poor running circumstances. Ays this July 2010 Harvard Business Review file. This turned into the state of affairs,” remembers Venkat.
Evolution of 108
EMRI first signed a settlement with the (united) Andhra Pradesh government on 2 April 2005, stating that the latter would be a non-investment accomplice even as the EMRI, with its own funds, might design up and run the ambulances at their own price. Receiving Rs 34 crore from Ramalinga Raju and 17 contributors of his circle of relatives, I utilized this corpus of finances to assemble the EMRI constructing, offered hardware for a name center, bought its first 30 ambulances, and started the emergency provider on 15 August 2005,” says Venkat.
First released in Hyderabad, the 30 ambulances ran in Tirupathi, Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada, and Warangal using September end. Within some months, but, Raju desired to increase the field of EMRI’s operations. Borrowing Rs forty crores from a bank, EMRI launched another 40 ambulances. By June 2006, they have been operating 70 ambulances in about 50 towns and towns in Andhra Pradesh. They used the primary Rs seventy-four crores to build infrastructure, buy the ambulances, hardware, and meet operational charges.
