ArticlePublic health action2026
The pre-hospital pulse: high responsiveness, deployment, and utilisation of ambulance services in India.
Article in Public health action, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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10 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundIndia's National Ambulance Service, a key component of the public health system, operates through 102, 108, and 112 hotline networks.
objectiveTo assess ambulance performance in terms of responsiveness, deployment, and utilisation. A descriptive study was conducted using ambulance records from two large states in India, Punjab and Haryana, from January to December 2025.
resultsOf 626,372 hotline calls (72% from rural areas), 97% resulted in ambulance deployment, and 92% were utilised for patient transfers. 91% of ambulances reached the pickup location within 30 min (response time) and 67% transported patients to health facilities within 60 min (call-to-drop time). Median distance travelled by ambulance (parking to drop location) was 32 km (interquartile range 17-58). In Punjab, 50% of call-to-drop times were within 60 min, while in Haryana this was 74%. There were notable interdistrict variations in call-to-drop times. The most common reasons for hotline calls were maternal and obstetric conditions (37%), medical emergencies (27%), and trauma or accidents (17%). Inter-facility transfers accounted for 61% of ambulance utilisation.
conclusionOur study demonstrates that ambulance services perform at a high level and provide substantial public health value. However, opportunities remain to further strengthen performance, particularly in reducing call-to-drop times.
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