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With the catchy slogan “Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on September 25, 2025, flagged off 11 state-of-the-art Centralized Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances in New Delhi. This initiative, part of the ‘Sewa Pakhwada’—a two-week service drive honoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday—aims to drastically improve emergency response times, ensuring life-saving help arrives faster than a food delivery. Officials highlighted this as a pivotal step in modernizing Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure, addressing longstanding issues like traffic congestion and delayed medical aid.
Unveiling a Comprehensive Health Package for Delhiites
In a ceremony attended by Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh, Gupta unveiled a robust array of healthcare enhancements designed to promote accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. Beyond the ambulances, the launches included Delhi’s inaugural organ donation portal, 40 True Nat machines, 10 Patho Detect machines, and 27 hand-held X-ray machines to accelerate early detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). These tools will be deployed across the city, enabling quicker diagnoses in community settings and reducing the burden on hospitals.
The CATS ambulance fleet now stands at 277, with 53 more slated for rollout in October 2025. Gupta outlined an ambitious expansion plan to reach 1,000 ambulances, stating, “We are committed to ensuring every resident has timely access to emergency medical services.” This scale-up is expected to transform Delhi’s emergency ecosystem, potentially setting a benchmark for urban healthcare in India by minimizing response times in a city notorious for gridlock.
Pioneering Organ Donation and Child Health Initiatives
A highlight of the event was the launch of the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO)-backed organ donation portal, marking Delhi’s first organized platform for pledges. “Anyone can register, and after death, their organs can give new life to those in need,” Gupta explained, emphasizing transparency and public participation. Building on the success of an eye donation portal launched on September 17, 2025—which has already garnered 1,222 pledges—she added, “For the first time in the national capital, organ and eye donation is being promoted systematically. We aim to inspire a culture where we serve our country in life and continue helping others after death.”
Additionally, Gupta inaugurated the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikit Salaya, a specialized facility for screening and treating children with developmental challenges. This center will offer early interventions, from therapies to medical support, ensuring vulnerable kids receive timely care to thrive.
Transformative Reforms Under Gupta’s Leadership
Health Minister Singh lauded the Chief Minister’s vision, crediting her for unprecedented achievements in a short span. “In just 167 days, we’ve constructed 168 Arogya Mandirs—nearly one every day,” he said. Other milestones include doubling dialysis capacity to 300 machines, expanding hospital beds, appointing 1,300 nurses and permanent medical superintendents, and implementing a transparent centralized system for medicine procurement. “These reforms have made quality healthcare a fundamental right for Delhi residents, all thanks to Rekha Gupta’s dynamic leadership,” Singh remarked.
A Vision for Inclusive and Efficient Healthcare
The newly launched CATS ambulances are poised to tackle Delhi’s emergency response bottlenecks, while the organ donation portal empowers citizens to contribute to life-saving efforts with full transparency. The DEIC and advanced TB detection equipment further underscore the government’s focus on preventive care, particularly for children and at-risk populations.
As ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ continues, these initiatives reflect a holistic push toward a healthier Delhi—one where compassion meets innovation. Gupta’s “ambulance before pizza” mantra not only captures public imagination but also signals a paradigm shift: prioritizing lives over convenience in one of the world’s most populous cities. With these enhancements, Delhi is on track to become a model of resilient, equitable healthcare for the nation.