Patients suffer as ambulance staff join strike near Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 12

The protest by employees of 108 Ambulance Service on Thursday caused much inconvenience to patients as well as their attendants in the district. Many patients had to be transported to hospitals by private vehicles by their family members. The employees of the state-run ambulance service, being managed by a private company, went to join a state-wide strike at Laddowal near Ludhiana demanding better wages and working conditions.

The employees have been demanding from the state government to absorb them in the health department and pay them salaries on a par with government employees. They alleged that under the present management they were being exploited and paid less. They also accused the private management of not revising their salaries for the last many years.

Meanwhile, patients were an inconvenienced lot as their calls made to call ambulance service remained unanswered. The families of the patients had to make their own arrangements.

A visit to Government Medical College here revealed that many people were bringing patients on auto-rickshaws and other private vehicles. They stated that the 108 ambulance service was very beneficial for poor patients in case of road accidents and for those who does not own any vehicle.

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