Gujarat Air Ambulance Service Completes 98 Missions, Including 50 Organ Transfers

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government’s dedicated 24×7 air ambulance service has completed 98 flight missions since its launch in 2022 and is approaching the milestone of 100 missions, strengthening emergency healthcare and access to specialised medical treatment, according to a government press release.

Of the 98 missions, 48 involved patient transportation, while 50 were dedicated to transporting vital human organs for transplantation.

Operated by the state government through the Civil Aviation Department and Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL), the service provides air medical transportation at subsidised rates and is available to citizens across India.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who also holds the Civil Aviation portfolio, said the initiative had emerged as an important component of Gujarat’s emergency medical response infrastructure.

The service operates a dedicated Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft, registered as VT-GUJ, which is available round the clock for air ambulance missions. Depending on the patient’s medical condition, the urgency of the case, the distance and the destination, the aircraft can be equipped with the required doctors, medical personnel, equipment and other support facilities.

Coordinated emergency response

The air ambulance service involves coordination among medical and aviation teams to facilitate timely transportation. The 108 Emergency Services plays a key role in identifying cases requiring air ambulance support and initiating the process.

Once a requirement is identified, the case is referred to GUJSAIL’s Flight Operations Department, which coordinates flight arrangements and facilitates the patient’s transfer following arrival at the airport.

The process involves coordination among medical personnel, aircraft crew, airport authorities, ground transportation teams and the receiving hospital. Hospitals can also directly request the service when a patient requires an urgent transfer to another medical facility.

The objective is to ensure seamless transportation from the hospital or point of origin to the airport, during the flight and onward to the receiving medical facility, minimising delays in accessing appropriate medical care.

Aircraft can operate from smaller airstrips

An important feature of the service is its operational flexibility. The aircraft can operate from a range of airports and suitable airstrips, including uncontrolled airstrips, subject to applicable operational, weather and safety requirements.

This capability can be particularly useful when patients requiring specialised treatment are located far from major airports. Access to smaller airstrips can bring air medical transportation closer to patients and reduce the distance they need to travel by road.

The service complements the existing road ambulance network rather than replacing it. While road transportation remains suitable for many cases, air transportation provides an additional option when distance, urgency or geographical conditions make it advantageous.

48 missions for patient transportation

Since its launch in 2022, the service has undertaken 48 patient transportation missions, helping critically ill patients reach medical facilities for urgent or specialised treatment.

The service can support patients requiring specialised hospital care, advanced surgical interventions, critical care and other forms of medical treatment. By reducing travel time to an appropriate healthcare facility, air ambulance transportation can be particularly valuable in emergencies.

50 missions for vital organ transportation

Organ transportation accounts for 50 of the 98 missions completed so far.

Organ transplantation is highly time-sensitive, as transplant teams must transport and transplant donated organs within a limited period. Through dedicated aviation support, the Gujarat government helps hospitals and transplant teams move vital organs between locations quickly, supporting time-critical transplantation procedures.

Subsidised rates for patients

The Gujarat government provides the air ambulance service at subsidised rates to improve accessibility.

According to the press release, the charge is ₹50,000 for a patient from Gujarat and ₹65,000 for a patient from outside the state. When the service is booked by a hospital, the applicable charge is ₹55,000.

The service is available to citizens across India, extending its reach beyond Gujarat’s geographical boundaries.

Coordination across departments

The service relies on coordination among the Civil Aviation Department, GUJSAIL, flight operations personnel, pilots, medical professionals, 108 Emergency Services, hospitals, airport authorities and ground support teams.

Their combined efforts support the transportation of critically ill patients and vital human organs, strengthening the role of aviation in emergency healthcare delivery. DeshGujarat