Lucknow- Amidst allegations of corruption and termination of thousands of ambulance workers in Uttar Pradesh, a protest has erupted, echoing the demands of the terminated employees.
The Kanshiram Eco Garden witnessed a gathering of terminated ambulance staff, demanding their reinstatement and transparency in the management of emergency medical services.
The terminated employees gathered under the banner of Jeevan Dayini Swasthya Vibhag 108/102 ALS Ambulance Karamchari Sangh on February 26 to voice their demands, while the issue remains pending in the Allahabad High Court.
This protest sheds light on the plight of frontline workers who risked their lives during the Covid outbreak but now find themselves facing unemployment and injustice.
In 2021, when the devastation of Covid swept through the country and the state of Uttar Pradesh, emergency medical service providers worked tirelessly to control the situation.
The blaring sounds of ambulance sirens were heard everywhere, signaling the presence and dedication of the emergency health workers of the state. Approximately nine ambulance workers contracted Covid and tragically succumbed to it.
The 102 and 108 ambulance services in the state are operated by the government but managed by private players. EMRI Green Health Services (formerly GVK EMRI LIFE SERVICES) is responsible for the operation of 102 and 108 ambulance services.
The 102 ambulance service, launched by the Akhilesh Yadav government in 2014, provides emergency health services to pregnant women, while the 108 service, launched in 2012 by the SP government, offers 24/7 emergency services. Another company called Ziqitza handles the operations of Advanced Life Services.
GVK EMRI, the company managing these critical services, has faced corruption charges for several years. In 2018, ambulance workers from Agra wrote to the government, alleging corruption by the company. They claimed that the company pressured them to falsify cases. Captain Sandip Babu, a former driver who was terminated, revealed that company officials attempted to involve health workers in corruption by pressuring them to make false entries.
The Yogi government launched a new healthcare service called Advanced Life Services in 2017. Under this initiative, each district in the state has ambulances equipped with advanced medical instruments to address critical medical issues, along with a skilled medical team. Until July 2021, GVK EMRI also managed the operations of Advanced Life Services. However, Ziqitza Healthcare changed the eligibility criteria for ambulance staff, resulting in many employees becoming unemployed.
The situation escalated in 2021 when Ziqitza Healthcare Limited took over the operations of Advanced Life Service ambulances in the state. Ambulance staff alleged that Ziqitza issued advertisements for fresh recruitment and terminated several employees.
Moreover, the protestors claimed that the company demanded payment for training, despite the staff being already trained. Approximately 1,000 employees working in around 250 Advanced Life Service ambulances went on strike against these developments.
Ambulance workers from 102 and 108 services also joined the strike, demanding the promised Rs 50 lakh insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana for corona warriors.
Despite the strike, the protestors ensured that an adequate number of ambulances remained operational. The government responded by terminating 9,000 employees.
The Mooknayak spoke to some of the protesting individuals to know about their plight and sufferings.
Raghvendra Tiwari stated, "We served the company for 7-8 years, but when the service provider began exploiting us, we raised our voice against exploitation and corruption. Consequently, 2,000 of our employees were terminated."
Sharad Yadav, a terminated medical technician who is also the media incharge of the Jeevan dayini swasthya vibhag 108 102 ALS Ambulance Karamchari sangh said that during the Covid outbreak when the close ones were not willing to help the ailing , the employees of the 108 Ambulance services came forward to help them and provided their valuable services disregarding the threat to life but were terminated for raising our demands. " The prime minister called us Devdoots, yogiji said that we had enough of your services. Yadav adds that even if we leave the covid outbreak of two years, the Ambulance workers have been at the forefront in every disaster but were subjected to false cases and were given a run around of courts. Yadav further adds that because of the false cases against them they are also not been able to get new jobs, " he stated.
Ajay Singh, another medical technician, emphasized the need for action against the corrupt company and reinstatement of the 9,000 employees. Showing us the certificates and the recognition he received for his services during his stint at the company, Ajay Singh said “ this corrupt company is looting the public money and therefore action should be taken against it and the 9,000 employees should be reinstated.
The Mooknayak attempted to contact officials at EMRI Green Health Services but was informed that they cannot comment on the matter due to its pending status with the High Court.
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