Pune: After years of efforts by activists, finally, the State government has issued a GR directing to provide ambulance and AYUSH doctors to the students studying at the government ashram schools. The GR noted the need for Emergency Response Service (EMRS) of Tribal Development Department for regular check-ups of the students as well as to ensure that they get any necessary medical service at the earliest.
More than 1 lakh students are studying at the 301 government ashram schools and eight Eklavya Residential Schools in Kalavan, Taloda, Dhule, Yaval, Nandurbar, Rajur, Kinvat, Pandharkavada, Dharni, Kalamnuri, Nagpur, Gadchiroli, Aheri and Bhamaragad.
The programme will be run under Bharat Vikas Group of India (BVG India) that runs a chain of well equipped Emergency Medical Service (EMS) 108 in the state.
The report given by Dr Subhash Salunkhe Committee established by the Maharashtra government in 2016 stated that there was a need of Mobile Medical Unit for ashram schools in the state. The facility needed to be such that it could provide aid to ailments and medical needs from the most minor to a critical one.
A total of Rs 2,820.12 has been approved as funds for the basic ambulance and AYUSH doctors and ANM programme for 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Activist Ravindra Talpe said, “This has been achieved after a struggle of six years to provide medical facilities to the students of government ashram schools. Around 4.5 lakh students are presently studying at around 1,100 ashram schools in the State. While right now the programme is limited to government ashram schools only, those studying at the aided ashram schools will be left out. So, we will continue our fight for them now.”
