A further 43 modern ambulances have been deployed across Hungary from this year’s purchase of 101 new emergency vehicles, the parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of the Interior announced in Budapest on Wednesday.
Bence Rétvári said the National Ambulance Service has been undergoing continuous development for years, including the construction and renovation of ambulance stations and the renewal of the vehicle fleet for the second time. With the new acquisitions, the average age of the ambulance fleet will be reduced by one year.
He stressed that the newly delivered vehicles, equipped with cutting-edge technology and meeting international standards, are crucial not only for patient care but also for the safety of ambulance crews and other road users.
Rétvári also highlighted the significant increase in funding for the ambulance service over the past 15 years. While its annual budget stood at 27 billion forints in 2010, it has since risen to 93 billion forints.
Director General of the National Ambulance Service Gábor Csató noted that the organization’s 17,000 employees assisted around 1.3 million patients this year and covered some 50 million kilometres on Hungarian roads.
He also announced a new public awareness campaign launching on 15 January, aimed at preschool children. The initiative will use playful, interactive methods to teach young children how they can help adults in emergency situations.
Speaking to public media, Csató added that the 43 new ambulances cost 3.3 billion forints, while their total value, including medical equipment, is close to 5 billion forints. The vehicles are fully equipped emergency response units, carrying all essential life-saving devices such as ventilators and defibrillators.
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