Punjab Air Ambulance Service 2026

The Punjab Air Ambulance Service is a dedicated emergency medical transport program that uses helicopters to shift critically ill or injured patients from remote and underserved areas of Punjab to specialized hospitals — fast.

Before this service existed, a patient in a far-flung area of Mianwali, Bahawalnagar, or similar districts would have to endure hours of road travel to reach a hospital capable of treating a serious condition. In emergencies like heart attacks, strokes, severe trauma, or complicated deliveries, those hours are often the difference between life and death.

The Air Ambulance Service removes that barrier entirely.

Available through the Punjab Health Department hotline. Calls are dispatched from major hospitals.

Two air ambulances are currently operational, strategically positioned to cover both the northern and southern regions of Punjab:

Station Coverage Area

Rawalpindi / Mianwali North Punjab and surrounding districts

Multan / Bahawalnagar South Punjab and surrounding districts

This placement is deliberate. South Punjab in particular has long been underserved by healthcare infrastructure, with many specialized medical facilities concentrated in Lahore. Stationing an air ambulance at Multan and Bahawalnagar ensures that patients from some of Punjab's most remote districts can access life-saving care without losing hours on the road.

The results speak for themselves. Since the service launched, the two air ambulances have already shifted 124 patients to specialized hospitals — 124 people who may not have survived a ground transport journey in time.

This is not a pilot project sitting idle on a helipad. It is an active, operational service that is already saving lives.

The service goes well beyond patient transport. Here's a full picture of what these air ambulances are designed for:

Emergency Patient Transfer The primary function — picking up critically ill or injured patients from far-flung areas where road access is limited, slow, or completely unavailable, and transferring them to specialized hospitals as quickly as possible.

Access to Remote Areas Many parts of Punjab — particularly in the south and along hilly terrain in the north — are simply difficult to reach by road, especially in emergencies. The air ambulance eliminates distance and terrain as barriers to emergency care.

Aerial Surveillance During Floods and Forest Fires Punjab faces recurring flooding and, increasingly, forest fire threats. Aerial surveillance from these helicopters gives disaster management authorities a real-time view of affected areas, helping coordinate ground response more effectively and identify the worst-affected zones faster.

Disaster Response and Rescue Team Deployment During major disasters — floods, earthquakes, or other emergencies — rapid deployment of rescue teams is critical. The air ambulance helicopters can be used to drop rescue personnel into affected areas that road vehicles cannot reach in time.

The service goes well beyond patient transport. Here's a full picture of what these air ambulances are designed for:

Emergency Patient Transfer The primary function — picking up critically ill or injured patients from far-flung areas where road access is limited, slow, or completely unavailable, and transferring them to specialized hospitals as quickly as possible.

Access to Remote Areas Many parts of Punjab — particularly in the south and along hilly terrain in the north — are simply difficult to reach by road, especially in emergencies. The air ambulance eliminates distance and terrain as barriers to emergency care.

Aerial Surveillance During Floods and Forest Fires Punjab faces recurring flooding and, increasingly, forest fire threats. Aerial surveillance from these helicopters gives disaster management authorities a real-time view of affected areas, helping coordinate ground response more effectively and identify the worst-affected zones faster.

Disaster Response and Rescue Team Deployment During major disasters — floods, earthquakes, or other emergencies — rapid deployment of rescue teams is critical. The air ambulance helicopters can be used to drop rescue personnel into affected areas that road vehicles cannot reach in time.