Uber’s recently launched UberMedic service for transporting frontline healthcare workers helping contain the spread of COVID-19 is now live across ten Indian cities: New Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow and Patna. 

Currently, 18 leading Indian hospitals such as Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Metropolis Healthcare, GHV Advanced Care Pvt Ltd and State Health Society, Bihar are using UberMedic.  

Based on an agreement with the National Health Authority (NHA), Uber is making its Medic cars available to many of these public sector hospitals free of cost. Over the next few days, UberMedic cars will also be provided at no charge to several public hospitals in Ghaziabad, Kanpur and Prayagraj. 

Sharing details about the service, Pavan Vaish, Head of Central Operations, Uber India and South Asia, said, “By leveraging our global experience, technology and network of drivers, UberMedic allows us to facilitate reliable and convenient transport to India’s real heroes, our medical workers, who’re helping keep our communities safe. I also wish to thank UberMedic drivers, who transport our frontline healthcare workers to and from their homes and to healthcare facilities. We feel privileged to be supporting the Indian government in helping contain the spread of COVID-19 and stand ready to speedily scale up UberMedic to more hospitals across the country.” 

UberMedic driver, Pawan Kumar, said, “We transport doctors and nurses from their homes to hospitals and back. I feel a sense of pride in doing this because we are helping protect the entire country. I feel proud to be an UberMedic driver. I feel like I’m a soldier for the country. Our respected doctors and nurses are already fighting this battle for the country and we want to support them, so we are also serving the country.”

As part of an ongoing pilot with the NHA, all UberMedic cars are fitted with a roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the driver, which acts as a protective barrier to limit contact between the driver and  the rider. In order to set the highest possible safety and hygiene standards, all UberMedic drivers are being specially trained in safety procedures and equipped with personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, sanitizers and disinfectants.