Don't pull a prank on 108: GVK EMRI

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 29: Pulling a prank, as often as not, costs lives. Who knows the veracity of this statement more than those who are in 108 or 102 services for providing timely medical services to ailing and injured ones?

With the New Year barely a few days away GVK EMRI teams are a scary lot, especially of prank calls, when more and more accidents and ailing cases genuinely and urgently needing medication are likely to go up. Despite making all arrangements to meet every eventually, the service is scared of prank calls that notoriously deny many ailing and injured people medical services.

Talking to the media at Guwahati Press Club, GVK EMRI vice president Sanjay Jha said: “Our vehicles will be kept ready near picnic spots, clubs, hotels, etc., on December 30, 2017 to January 2, 2018. We’ve also increased staff strength at our call centres in the city. We’re keeping in touch with the police and hospitals so as to ensure urgent medical services.” Speaking on the problem of prank calls, Jha said: “We receive around 20,000 calls daily all over the State. However, only 15-18 per cent calls are emergency calls, and the rest are prank calls, mutual calls and the like. We appeal to the people of the State not to opt for such prank calls. Such acts only hurt our team workers. More than that, such calls deprive many who badly need medical attention of service. Such patients may cost their lives.”