Health Ministry Releases National Ambulance Service Operational Guidelines 2026
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda unveiled the Operational Guidelines on National Ambulance Services (NAS), 2026 during the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) on June 29, 2026. Developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these guidelines provide a comprehensive national framework for standardizing ambulance services and strengthening emergency medical transport systems across all States and Union Territories.
The guidelines aim to establish uniform standards to ensure quality, accessibility, efficiency, and responsiveness of ambulance services, which constitute the first critical link in the emergency medical response chain. The framework covers operational norms across the entire continuum of emergency medical transport, including ambulance categorization, population-based deployment planning, human resource requirements, equipment and medicines standards, and training requirements for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
Key technical specifications include mandatory compliance of all ambulances with AIS-125 standards to ensure enhanced safety, quality, and standardization of emergency medical vehicles. The guidelines also establish infection prevention and control measures, vehicle maintenance protocols, performance monitoring systems, and grievance redressal mechanisms.
The framework promotes the establishment of Integrated Command and Dispatch Centres (ICDCs) equipped with GPS-enabled ambulance tracking, call logging systems, structured triage protocols, standardized dispatch mechanisms, and real-time performance dashboards. It encourages progressive integration of ambulance services with the unified emergency response number 112 across all States and Union Territories for faster and more coordinated emergency response.
To strengthen emergency referral systems, the guidelines envision GIS-enabled mapping of health facilities, referral centers, ambulance base locations, accident-prone and high-risk areas, bed availability, and critical care readiness. This integrated approach will enable dispatch teams to identify and transport patients to the most appropriate healthcare facility in the shortest possible time.
The Operational Guidelines recommend scientific ambulance deployment based on analysis of emergency call volumes, accident hotspots, referral patterns, traffic conditions, terrain, and geographical accessibility to ensure optimal utilization of ambulance resources and improved response times.