'Ambulance before pizza': Delhi CM flags off 11 CATS vehicles, unveils health initiatives

New Delhi: "Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza" -- with this message, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday flagged off 11 Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances in the national capital, officials said.

The chief minister also said that hundreds more are in the pipeline, with the fleet expected to touch 53 by October and then eventually scale up to 1,000.

Gupta on Thursday also unveiled some key healthcare initiatives, including special schemes under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), an organ transplant awareness portal, and the inauguration of a District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC).

"Today, 11 ambulances have been launched. By October, the number will reach 53, and we are working to take the total strength to 1,000 to ensure every resident has timely access to emergency medical services," she said.

Emphasising the government's focus on strengthening healthcare delivery, the chief minister said, "We want an ambulance to reach a patient even before a pizza is delivered in Delhi."

Alongside the ambulance rollout, the government launched new measures under the NTEP aimed at accelerating tuberculosis elimination in the city, besides introducing a dedicated portal to raise awareness about organ donation and transplantation.

The DEIC is expected to provide early screening, diagnosis, and intervention services for children with developmental delays and disabilities, officials said.