VETERINARY AMBULANCE STARTED FUNCTIONING @WAYANAD

Posted On : Nov 01 2013

This ambulance is part of an Experiential Learning Project “Critical Care Unit” implemented in the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Pookode, funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The total budget outlay of the project was Rs. 80 lakhs, in which Rs. 74 lakhs could be utilized for establishing critical care facilities in the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Pookode. The aim of the project was to impart knowledge to the students on all aspects of clinical and critical care through direct experience from the bed-side, rather than learning from textbooks or classroom lectures. The ambulance is part of this project, customized with many facilities to meet the said requirements, and costing Rs. 22.5 Lakhs.

The details of the ambulance, its facilities and their intention are as follows:

• The ambulance is customized on a Swaraj Mazda chassis.
• Six to seven persons (doctors and trainees) can travel in the ambulance, in the area behind the driver.
• Behind this area, there is an air-conditioned animal clinic area of dimension 12 ft by 6-7 ft (having interior of washable stainless steel) with an hydraulic operation table which could be lifted to desired height for the surgeon. The animal clinic area could be alternatively used for purpose of treatment /carrying of animals.
• The ambulance is equipped with air-conditioner, oxygen cylinder, UPS, Generator, Ceiling lights, overhead water storage tank, hand-wash-basin, fans and storage cabinets for medicines and emergency items, and fire extinguishers.
• Provision of power supply for functioning of Ultrasound, Portable X-ray etc is also provided inside, and this could be run on the Generator of the ambulance.
• To add on to the facilities, the ambulance is equipped with a 1 tonne hydraulic lift on its rear end. In resting position, this is kept folded on to the back of the ambulance. This can be brought down to the ground level and raised back in horizontal position in level with the floor level of the ambulance so that recumbent heavy animals could be lifted and placed inside the ambulance. Such a veterinary ambulance is first of its kind in our state; in India too. This ambulance could be utilized for specialist camp dispensaries, surgery camps like animal birth control in dogs etc. The funds were attracted by a project submitted by Dr. Sooryadas S., Assistant Professor in Dept. of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology.