Bengaluru: App-based cab aggregators, Ola and Uber have joined hands with the Karnataka Health Department to provide round-the-clock ‘medical emergency services’ that do not include COVID-19 cases.

The health department informed that this service was launched with the view to ensure that other medical emergencies do not get ignored while the whole world is focused on COVID-19.

To avail the services of these vehicles, one need only call 9154153917 / 9154153918 or log in to any of the apps. On the Ola app, a new category ‘Enabled for Hospitals’ has been created for this purpose. “Ola has enabled over 200 hospitals on its app to provide the service and ensure cabs are used only for essential medical travel,” the company said in a statement.

Flagging off the service on Tuesday, April 7, state health minister B Sreeramulu said that most of the 108 ambulance services are being used for the COVID-19 cases to ferry the patients to the hospitals or quarantine centres. “I order for those patients who require medical procedures such as dialysis, chemotherapy, organ transplant, radiation therapy etc. not to get inconvenienced, the state government has tied up with cab aggregator apps Uber and Ola,” he said, adding that each company has provided 100 cabs for the benefit of these patients.

The companies will only ferry the patients to and from hospitals. They will not be providing any other medical services, including suspected or positive COVID-19 cases.

The drivers of these vehicles will be specially trained and well versed with the necessary protocols. Ola and Uber will provide the cars with masks and sanitizers and the drivers, as well as the passengers, will have to wear these masks. The air-conditioning in these vehicles will also have to be turned off.