London, the density of traffic in major cities into separate problems for paramedics to cope with emergency conditions. When ambulances are powerless against congestion, bicycle ambulances could be the solution for first aid.

The traffic density is also experienced by other cities such as London. In this city, the bicycle has long been empowered to provide public services in a traffic jam for example by cycling patrols by police officers.

No exception for emergency services, since 2000, several hospitals and health facilities in London began using the bicycle to visit patients. Bicycle ambulances was used if ambulances can not reach their location.

“The idea initially to reach patients more quickly, because in the middle of dense traffic in central London there are always thousands of emergency calls each year,” said Tom Lynch, manager of Cycle Response Unit as quoted from Medicalnewstoday.

As one of the bicycle ambulance operators, Cycle Response Unit serves an average of 1000 emergency calls each year. With the number of calls that much, bicycle ambulance is expected to be able to save time by approximately 5,000 hours each year.

Not to mention if the calculated fuel consumption, a bicycle ambulance is much more efficient and thus environmentally friendly. Lynch estimates that fuel could save approximately equivalent with 20,000 ambulance trips if Terliht since 2000.

Indeed, not all types of emergency calls can be overcome by bicycle ambulance. Given the limitations of equipment that could be taken, 97 percent call for an ambulance bicycle only come from the heart attack patients who really need help as soon as possible.

Each bicycle ambulance unit in London operated by trained personnel, equipped with a variety of standard equipment because it is not possible unless the stretcher carrying a patient. But tools such as pacemakers and Electrocardiograph (ECG) is quite useful to give first aid.

Not only the big cities like London, bicycle ambulances can also be found in other cities in developing countries. Countries in sub-Saharan African region for instance, many are already implementing bicycle ambulances to reach villages that can not be visited by car.

One of the countries in Africa that uses a bicycle ambulance is Malawi. In a country where 50 percent of the birth of her baby has not been carried out by medical personnel, the presence of bicycle ambulances greatly help reduce maternal and child mortality rates.