Bhubaneswar: To provide critically ill patients with timely access to advanced medical care outside the state, the Odisha government has approved a new initiative titled 'Emergency Care by Air Lifting'. The scheme will cover the full cost of private air ambulance services, ensuring that financial or travel barriers do not hinder life-saving treatment.

According to the news reports, the Health and Family Welfare Department will oversee the scheme's implementation, with the Principal Secretary holding final authority on approvals. An expert committee, including the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) and the Director of Health Services (DHS), will assess each patient's medical condition and determine whether air lifting is necessary.

Once the committee gives the green light, a State Nodal Officer steps in to coordinate with private air ambulance providers and arrange the transfer. Odisha doesn't have its own air ambulance fleet, so the government works with outside agencies to provide the service. For smooth transitions, Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances move patients from hospitals to the airport, reports Kalinga TV.

The program is funded through the 'Mukhyamantri Air Health Service Scheme', reinforcing Odisha's safety net for residents facing medical emergencies.

However, officials caution that the scheme's success depends on strict adherence to safety protocols. Recent air ambulance crashes in India, including flights between Ranchi and Delhi, highlight the risks involved.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that in an unfortunate incident, all seven people on board an air ambulance were killed after the aircraft crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand's Chatra district. Their bodies have been taken to a hospital for post-mortem examination, officials said. The Beechcraft C90 air ambulance, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was en route to Delhi from Ranchi when it crashed.

Source: Medical Dialogues - March 17,2026