LUCKNOW The staff of 108 and 102 ambulance services continued their strike across UP for the second day on Tuesday, resulting in hardships for patients who reached hospitals in autos, taxis and private vehicles.
The two primary ambulance services – 102 (delivery of pregnant women) and 108 (emergency services) had come to a grinding halt since July 25-26 midnight, as workers went on a flash strike in wake of a change in the company that operates the advanced life support system (ALS) ambulances.
So far, GVK EMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute) was operating advanced life support system (ALS), 108, and 102 ambulance services in the state. But now the responsibility of the ALS ambulance service has been given to Ziqitsa Health Care.
GVK EMRI sacked around 150 ambulance staff , including the president of the State Ambulance Sangh, Hanuman Prasad Pandey and other office bearers.
Office bearers of the Sangh said they were being punished for demanding a salary hike of just ₹1,000, which was promised by GVK EMRI. They also alleged that the company terminated services of a number of drivers, citing change of company. Currently, ambulance drivers get around ₹13,000 as salary.
Hundreds of GVK EMRI employees continued their agitation at Eco Garden in Lucknow and shouted slogans demanding increase in their salary and reinstatement of sacked workers.
{{/usCountry}}Hundreds of GVK EMRI employees continued their agitation at Eco Garden in Lucknow and shouted slogans demanding increase in their salary and reinstatement of sacked workers.
{{/usCountry}}They claimed that the employment conditions offered by the new company were unjust and the government should be considerate towards their selfless service during the pandemic.
Officials of GVK EMR, Ziqitsa Health Care Private Limited and health department held a meeting with the office-bearers of State Ambulance Sangh to solve the issue. An FIR was lodged against the agitating staff and office- bearers of the State Ambulance Sangh – Hanuman Prasad Pandey, Susheel Pandey, Abhishek Mishra, Brajesh Kumar Mishra, Sharad Yadav, Salil Awasthi, Sunil Sachan, Madhut Mishra, Raghvendra Tewari, Ritesh Shukla, Dinesh Kaushik for stalling essential services.
One Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, who reached Lohia hospital in an auto with his ailing mother, said: “I called for an ambulance thrice, but they didn’t turn up. So there was no option, but to transport the patient in an auto.”
Meanwhile, chief minister Yogi Adityanath warned that if the needy don’t get ambulance services in the time of need, the state would take stern action against the ambulance services provider.
“The state government is committed to providing quality health services to people. So ensure that needy people get ambulance services. If it doesn’t happen, the state government will act tough against the ambulance services provider,” he said during the Covid-19 review meeting at Lok Bhawan.