Bhopal: Medical services paralysed as ambulance drivers join strike

BHOPAL: Medical services paralysed in the state on Thursday after ambulance drivers went  on strike. Emergency Medical Ambulance Service (EMAS) popularly known as 108 Ambulance Service was paralysed due to drivers’ strike, which continued for second day on Thursday. The employees are on strike for last six days. Now, drivers have joined them to protest against low salaries.

The services has a fleet of 554 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances and 50 Advance Life Support (ALS) ambulances in MP. The services are run on PPP mode in the state. On Thursday, employees assembled at JP Hospital and staged demonstration to protest against indifferent attitude of administration. They made human chain as mark of solidarity.

Nutan Yadav, one of employees, said, “We have raised the issue before  government but no one pays heed to our problems. Service rules and pay scale are not fixed. Besides, salaries are deducted without any clarification.” Yadav further said, “Administration has deployed police team to remove us but we are adamant to get our demands fulfilled. We are given less salaries and not on time. For the last two to three months, salaries have been deducted.” Scheme was conceptualised to provide Emergency Response Services to people. Government of Madhya Pradesh, ministry of health and family welfare under National Rural Health Mission initiated Emergency Response Services.