The Apollo Hospitals launched the country's first two-wheeler ambulances called Apollo First in Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad on Saturday.

Apollo First is conceptualised to maneuver efficiently through congested roads and provide emergency care to patients.

"The driver and pillion rider of the TWAs would be paramedics trained to provide immediate trauma care to patients," chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group Dr Prathap C Reddy said in Chennai.

"The TWA drivers would also be trained to give cardiac pulmonary resuscitation, if necessary," he added

The TWA is the brainchild of Apollo's National Network Emergency Services director Dr Hari Prasad, Reddy said.

Apart from handling road accidents during peak hours, the TWAs would also be able to reach areas where the movement of regular ambulances is restricted.

Police Commissioner R Nataraj, who flagged off the TWAs, pointed out that despite the metropolis having around 250 government and private ambulances, a number of lives are lost due to the delay in reaching in patient.