Lucknow. On Wednesday, more strict action was taken against the agitating employees by stalling the ambulance service in UP. Despite sacking 11 employees on Tuesday and getting an FIR against eight workers, 570 more ambulance workers who were on strike were fired on Wednesday. Ambulance drivers and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were among those fired. On the other hand, all the district magistrates have been instructed by the government to deposit the key of the ambulance and make alternate arrangements to run it immediately. Up to 60 percent of ambulance operations are being claimed. All ambulances are expected to operate on Thursday. Patients are suffering since the ambulance service was suddenly stopped at 12 o’clock on Sunday night. His attendants are taking him to the hospital by private vehicles. Private ambulance operators are also taking advantage of the strike. He is charging more rent for taking him to the hospital.
TVSK Reddy, UP Senior Vice President of GVKEMRI, which is operating 108, 102 and Advanced Life Support System (ALS) ambulance service in the state, said that 570 drivers and EMTs posted on the ambulances have been sacked. It is these workers who are continuously protesting and instigating other ambulance workers to go on strike. Reddy has warned of sacking more such employees by identifying them.
On the other hand, the striking ambulance workers say that ALS ambulance service is being given to Jigitsa Health Care and instead of Rs 13,500, they are talking about giving 10 thousand months honorarium, while 20 thousand rupees are being demanded in the name of training. Huh. Employees say that in such a situation, ambulances should not be operated through the service provider company and under the National Health Mission, ambulance workers should be deployed on contract. On the other hand the officials are not agreeing to this.
23 thousand employees are working in 4720 ambulances in the state: 2200 of 108 ambulance service, 2270 of 102 ambulance service and 250 ambulances of Advance Life Support System (ALS) are being run in UP. In such a situation, about 23 thousand employees are employed in a total of 4720 ambulances.
The matter worsened due to increased demands: Jigitsa Health Care has been given the responsibility of running 250 ambulances of ALS Ambulance Service in the state. So far, GVKEMRI is giving an honorarium of Rs 13,500 per month to about one thousand employees working in it, but the new company has asked to deposit Rs 10,000 as salary and Rs 20,000 for training. In such a situation, the LLS workers started the agitation. In support of them, the workers of 108 ambulance service and 102 ambulance service also went on strike from Monday. At present, the officials of NHM and Health Department accepted the demand of getting the old honorarium, but now the employees are demanding to be posted directly as contract workers of NHM instead of the service provider.
Making alternative arrangements: Health Minister
Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh says that the legitimate demands of the ambulance workers are being met, yet they are placing different demands. All the DMs have been instructed to arrange for the driver with the help of RTO by depositing the key of the ambulance immediately. Strict instructions have also been given to the company. Up to 60 percent of the ambulances have started running and by Thursday all will start running.
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