Strike by 108 Ambulance workers over but issues remain

Tuesday, 25/06/2013

http://www.punjabnewsline.com/news/strike-by-108-ambulance-workers-over-but-issues-remain/81623

CHANDIGARH: The flash strike by workers of Emergency ambulance service 108 on Monday may have been resolved for the time-being but the issues raised by the employees continue to linger on.

The strike seriously affected Emergency services throughout the state, putting patients and their attendants through a lot of inconvenience. The employees of the service argue that the 108 emergency ambulance service is a multi- crore business venture and costs the Union and state governments a whopping Rs 28 crore every year. This means that Rs 7.67 lakh is being spent per day on running this service for the people of Punjab and the state government is also spending Rs 1.18 lakh per month on each ambulance as operational expenses.

The workers allege that for 240 ambulances, the service provider Ziqitza healthcare has appointed only two doctors and 569 paramedics, majority of them are only diploma holders in pharmacy, which as per medical standards are not authorized to treat patients. They can, at best, give medicines on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.

In 2011-2012, the 108 Ambulance Service had attended to 1,70,540 cases, handling 467 cases on daily basis. In other words, the lives of a similar number of persons are at risk every day. The workers demanded that Punjab government should fix the responsibility of the people responsible for running these emergency medical services.

If the figures given by Punjab Health System Corporation are to be believed, 108 Ambulance Services attended to 26,536 road accident cases, 53805 delivery cases and 90199 other emergency cases in 2011-2012.

Dr Kamaljeet Soi, Vice Chairman, Punjab State Road Safety Council, Punjab government, has demanded that the state government should immediately cancel the current arrangement and call for fresh tenders.

However, a media release issued by Ziqitza Health Care Ltd (ZHL) said that it was operating 240 ambulances across Punjab since April 2011in Public-Private-Partnership model, under the Supervision of PHSC and NRHM. ZHL has successfully served more than approximately 4.7 lakh people across Punjab in the last two years which includes cases like pregnancy, accidents, trauma and other medical emergencies.

The statement said: ‘Somehow this noble cause is being disrupted by some people, at few locations in Punjab, who are grinding their own axe of personal vested interests. They are the same people who were terminated earlier this year by the disciplinary committee of Ambulance 108. They are now creating problems and misguiding other ambulance crew, to disrupt the services. Keeping in view their protest, the company has deployed more staff to save patients from harassment. ZHL confirms that the company is in full compliance with both the Motor Transport Workers Act 1961 and the Minimum Wages as notified Act in the State of Punjab and regularly paying the PF & ESI dues to eligible. ZHL shall continue to provide emergency transport to individuals calling the 108 Ambulance Control Rooms using the services of the committed and disciplined staff. ZHL is also making arrangements with independent private Ambulance operators to transport individuals in medical emergencies in case of any illegal disruption by the vested interests working to sabotage the functioning of the 108 Ambulance service in Punjab. Company is determined to provide the quality services to the people of Punjab. Company is backing up with the additional manpower for the replacement of EMT or Pilots who are not following the company Rules and Regulation and trying to disrupt the services in their personal vested interest.’