Karnataka health minister launches MARS-NOW ambulances for newborns

In order to enhance neonatal care services to newborn babies in the state, Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao launches MARS-NOW in Bengaluru.

Manipal Ambulance Response Service - Neonatal Care on Wheels (MARS-NOW) was launched in the city to provide comprehensive neonatal transport services to newborn babies through specially designed ambulances for them in Bengaluru and its surrounding places.

These ambulances will have facilities like infant incubators, heart and lung monitors, high frequency and conventional ventilators, nitric oxide administration, blanket warmers and advanced vehicle suspension for smooth transport of patients.

A new helpline (080-22221111) for this purpose was also launched. This helpline can also be used by other private hospitals that don’t have adequate facilities for neonatal care. These private hospitals can transfer such patients through MARS-NOW ambulances.

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on wheels will help babies survive better. This programme will operate as a hub and spoke model in the state and later extending the same services to government-run hospitals.

As newborns’ initial few hours and days are critical, especially when they have medical complications, transporting such newborns in regular transport will be challenging. MARS-NOW ambulances will be of great help in providing essential and timely care to such newborns.