Coronavirus: Ola partners with Delhi govt to offer free emergency mobility to citizens

Ride-hailing major Ola on Saturday said it has partnered with Delhi state government's health department to offer free medical transportation to people.

Citizens in need of mobility support for any non-coronavirus medical care can dial 102 and the health ministry team will allocate a cab for the patient to be transported to a hospital free of cost, a statement said.

"Ola is providing convenient, reliable, and safe transport services for all non-COVID medical trips such as scheduled check-ups, dialysis, chemotherapy, and for immediate medical needs such as injuries, amongst others," it added.

Ola said it is facilitating a clean and safe ride experience by ensuring that all earmarked cabs are equipped with essential protective equipment like masks and sanitisers and are operated by specially trained driver-partners following proper sanitary measures as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

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"We are grateful to the Delhi government for this collaboration and the opportunity to enable mobility support for the state's healthcare system amidst the ongoing crisis. Access to healthcare, especially for non-COVID related emergencies is becoming a major challenge in our cities," an Ola spokesperson said.

Through this initiative, Ola will be able to supplement the existing ambulance network with access to quick and safe mobility for anyone in need to get to the hospital, the spokesperson added.

The company is also partnering with state governments across the country and will continue to support them with their emergency response efforts, the spokesperson said.

Ola has also collaborated with the Ministry of Health, Karnataka, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to provide essential mobility services in Bengaluru and Mumbai, respectively, by ferrying medical staff, healthcare workers, and paramedical staff from homes to hospitals.

The company has rolled out its new category, 'Ola Emergency' that will provide transport for medical trips to and from hospitals across 15 cities - Mumbai, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Vizag, Nashik, Varanasi, Indore, Bhopal, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.