A letter has been sent to the Home Secretary and Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, to recover ambulances from striking outsourced ambulance workers.
A total of 150 ambulances were parked at Ladhowal toll plaza by ambulance drivers before going on strike last week. It has written to law enforcement agencies to take possession of the ambulances since they are owned by the government.
Emergency trauma services have been paralyzed by the strike. The victims of road accidents are the ones who suffer. Every day, 700 to 800 road accident victims are transported to hospitals by 325 ambulances in the state.
According to Manpreet Nijjer, president of 108 Ambulance Employees Association, Punjab, their discussions with the Health Minister were inconclusive. Their demands would not be met unless they continued to strike. In addition to regularizing services and raising salaries on the pattern of Haryana, the association demands insurance coverage for ambulance employees.
In regards to the strike by ambulance workers, Ziqitza Healthcare has yet to make a decision. The government and the company want to resolve the matter amicably, according to a senior government official.
