Mangaluru : Health and Family Welfare Minister, U.T. Khader on Tuesday launched the facility in Mangaluru here on Tuesday, May 5.

Initially, two motorcycles driven by trained paramedical staff will be available in Mangaluru and Ullal. Mr. Khader said that one of the bikes will be station at areas suggested by the agency which runs ‘108 Ambulances’. The other bike ambulance will be stationed at a place off the Mangaluru-Kasaragod National Highway.

Mr. Khader said the State government procured as many as 32 bike ambulances. While 20 bike ambulances are being used in Bengaluru, the remaining 12 will be placed in six municipal corporations in the state. Two bike ambulances are being given to each of the six municipal corporations.

Mr. Khader said there has been good response to bike ambulances which facilitate immediate attention to persons injured during road accident. The bike ambulance facility was launched in Bengaluru on April 15. “The response time has been between three and eight minutes,” Mr. Khader said he will be reviewing its working in October.

Mayor Jacinta Alfred, Dy. Mayor Purushotam Chitrapur,  district medical officer and superintendent of Wenlock Hospital Dr Rajeswari were present.