IAF chief inaugurates first-ever emergency medical response system in Bengaluru

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has inaugurated the first-ever Emergency Medical Response System of the Indian Air Force at Command Hospital Air Force in Bengaluru, a Defence Ministry release said on Wednesday. The Emergency Medical Response System (EMRS), which was inaugurated on May 21, has been set up in order to provide expert guidance and definitive care during medical emergencies of serving personnel and their families of the Indian Air Force (IAF) across the nation.

The Ministry of Defence in the release said that the EMRS is a first-of-its-kind 24/7 telephonic medical helpline for serving IAF personnel and their families across India. The system aims to provide prompt response by a team of medical and paramedical professionals to the caller experiencing the emergency anywhere across the country.

"The responding medical professional shall provide immediate advice to the caller, while simultaneously getting in touch with the IAF medical facility nearest to the caller. This facility symbolises IAF's commitment towards incorporating technology to deliver high quality healthcare in the event of an emergency. The sole aim of EMRS is to save valuable lives," it stated.

The event featured a demonstration of the system's capability and outreach, highlighting the ease with which expert guidance would be provided to the distressed caller, as well as the expeditious launch of a medical support team from the nearest medical echelon.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), who originally envisioned this concept, highlighted the importance of the EMRS and further added, "this initiative is not just a milestone for the Indian Air Force but a significant advancement in medical readiness, representing a critical step forward in the ongoing efforts to provide immediate and expert medical care during emergencies."