Chennai: Nearly two decades after Tamil Nadu launched its 108-ambulance service, the health department is examining its finances and functioning before deciding on the next operator. IIT-Madras and the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) are conducting a third-party audit ahead of the service’s renewal in Feb 2027.“The audit comes at a crucial juncture as the govt is reviewing the recurring expenditure on the service, particularly the annual 10% increment and festival bonus paid towards the operator’s costs,” said Dr S Uma, additional secretary, health department. The expenditure mainly covers maintenance, fuel and repairs, while medicines are procured through the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation. “Two rounds of discussions have already been held, with the finance secretary involved in determining the rates that will form the basis of the next agreement,” she said.The service was launched in Tamil Nadu in Sept 2008 under a five-year MoU with Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI), with the govt funding the programme. After the MoU expired in May 2013, the govt granted GVK EMRI a further five-year extension.When that ended in 2018, GVK EMRI was allowed to continue through shorter extensions—six months from May 2018, three months from Nov 2018, one year from Feb 2019 and two years from Feb 2020. In April 2022, the govt extended GVK EMRI’s contract for the 108, 104 and 102 services.“This time, we are going a bit deeper. The audit findings by IIT and NIE will be considered by a committee, and the recommendations will then be placed before the finance secretary, before finalising the next arrangement. The process is expected to be completed in Feb 2027,” the official said. It is too early to say whether the service would continue with a single operator or whether multiple agencies will be allowed to compete, she said.The existing system covers about 1,357 ambulances, an integrated call centre and 194 mortuary vans. TN’s model brings ambulance operations and call-centre management under the same operator, unlike in some states where the two are handled by separate vendors.
