The Total Number Of Ambulances In India…What Health Ministry Said
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has provided details on the availability of ambulances across India, responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha raised by MP Saket Gokhale. Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav outlined the current numbers, the recommended requirements, and the government’s support to states in expanding ambulance services.
As per the National Health Mission Management Information System (NHM-MIS) data from June 2024, India has 3,044 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances and 15,283 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances. In addition to these, the health infrastructure includes 3,918 Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs), 19 boat ambulances, and 81 emergency response service bikes. Furthermore, 6,485 empanelled vehicles are available to transport patients, particularly pregnant women and sick infants, to public health facilities.
The National Health Mission (NHM) has set population-based guidelines for ambulance deployment. For ALS ambulances, the recommendation is one per 500,000 people, while for BLS ambulances, the standard is one per 100,000 people. In addition to the centralised pool of ambulances, states also have additional ambulances stationed at key healthcare facilities such as District Hospitals (DHs), supported through multiple funding sources.
The minister clarified that healthcare is a state subject, making the provision and management of ambulances primarily the responsibility of state and Union Territory (UT) governments. However, the central government plays a supporting role by offering financial and technical assistance through the State Programme Implementation Plan (SPIP), which is reviewed by the National Program Coordination Committee (NPCC). States have the flexibility to determine the type and number of ambulances required based on gap analysis and performance assessments.
Additionally, states can deploy ambulances as per regional service needs, particularly considering the requirements of rural and remote areas.
