Meghalaya still to find new operator for '108' ambulance services

Guwahati: Even after two and a half years since the Meghalaya government terminated its contract with GVK EMRI to run the 108 ambulance services, a new operator is still to be engaged to run the services in the state.

It has been reported that due to no fresh tender applications, the interested firms are now in the dark about the government's intentions.

Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh recently stated that the department is moving cautiously to complete the bidding process, learning from past mistakes.

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Since the contract with GVK EMRI ended on March 31, 2021, the National Health Mission (NHM) has been managing the ambulance services, despite lacking the necessary expertise.

Previous attempts to engage a new service provider have been marred by allegations of lack of transparency and favouritism, reports claimed.

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In fact, a tender floated last year was flagged for mentioning radio taxis, sparking fears of discrepancies.

The bidding process was also criticized for disqualifying top ambulance operators in the country.