29 January 2004	Thursday	06 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Jan 28: The Edhi Foundation has announced a 50 per cent reduction in its ambulance service charges. According to a spokesman, the decision has been taken in view of escalation in prices , particularly those of medicines, due to which the low-income and poor people face difficulties in getting medical treatment.

He said Faisal Edhi, after seeking permission from Abdul Sattar Edhi, announced that charges on ambulance service outside the city "have been reduced 50 per cent with immediate effect."

Mr Edhi noted that although over 700 ambulances were running round-the-clock and 300 more ambulances will be added to the existing fleet by the end of the year.

Edhi was operating ambulance service at Rs8 per km, which has now been reduced to Rs4 per km. As a result, the Islamabad-Lahore cost of the ambulance will come down from Rs2,600 to Rs1,300, Islamabad-Multan from Rs2,800 to Rs1,400, Karachi-Sukkur from Rs4,000 to Rs2,000 and Karachi-Larkana from Rs3,800 to Rs1,900. -APP