Ahmedabad: Cardiac emergencies in Gujarat have risen sharply over the last 15 years, with EMRI 108 data showing that heart-related calls have more than tripled since 2011 even as the overall emergency load has more than doubled. This points to a growing burden of acute chest pain and heart failure cases reaching hospitals by ambulance.In 2011, EMRI 108 attended an average 2,949 emergency calls per month for cardiac issues. In 2026 till August, the monthly average climbed to 8,918—an increase of 202%. Respiratory emergencies have shown an even steeper jump, from 3,083 per month in 2011 to 10,710 per month in 2026 till August, a 247% rise.“The rise in respiratory and cardiac emergencies could be seen in the overall share of cases – in 2011, the average monthly emergency calls were 61,816, which has increased to 1.4 lakh in 2026, more than double the rise. The figure could also be seen in perspective of the rise in population and the population covered by the ambulance fleet – compared to 450-odd ambulances 15 years ago, today we have 1,494,” said a senior EMRI official. In earlier years, the number of ambulances was relatively smaller and thus the data is not comparable, added the official.Doctors say the shift is visible on the ground, particularly after Covid. Dr Jay Shah, a city-based cardiologist, said that post-Covid, they have seen a rise in cardiac issues. “The spike is dominated by the relatively younger population – the patients that are brought in by EMRI or other ambulances are generally experiencing heart failure or acute chest pain. Women also form a bulk of the numbers now,” he said.Respiratory distress is also showing up in higher volumes, with specialists linking the rise to multiple triggers. Dr Tushar Patel, a city-based pulmonologist, said that they have also experienced the spike in overall cases. “It can be attributed to factors ranging from pollution to infections. About two decades ago, the city had 15-20 pulmonologists and chest physicians, which has increased to about 200 today, showing the significant rise in the issue,” he said.EMRI 108 services began operations in Gujarat on August 29, 2007, and completed 19 years on Saturday. Over this period, the service has attended 1.96 crore emergency calls and saved 19.89 lakh lives in critical conditions. In the first eight months of 2026 alone, EMRI attended 11.22 lakh calls in Gujarat and saved 1.41 lakh, according to officials.Beyond medical emergencies, trauma continues to remain a major call category. According to EMRI data, vehicular trauma or injuries in road traffic accidents averaged 597 cases daily in 2026 so far—about one case every 2.5 minutes.
