108 ambulance workers go on strike in Odisha

Emergency health care services were badly hit in certain parts of Odisha today as employees of 108 ambulance services went on strike demanding better and timely payment of their remuneration.
Drivers, attendants and emergency medical technicians joined the agitation called by the 108 Ambulance Service Workers' Association.
"A private organisation has been assigned the job of operating ambulance service in the state. The organisation is not paying remuneration to the employees regularly," Manoj Kumar Sahoo, secretary of the association, said.
The Association had earlier launched a similar agitation in March this year demanding fulfilment of their 12-point charter of demands.

The state presently has 420 numbers of 108 ambulances in which more than 3,000 employees including drivers and paramedical staff have been working, he said.
"The private organisation had promised to pay salary by December 10. Though six days have passed since the date, we are yet to receive our salary," an employee said, adding they are not "happy by putting patients in trouble".
Sabyasachi Biswal, head of Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd that operates the 108 ambulance service, said the payment was delayed due to some problem with the banks.
"It will be resolved very soon. The employees too will resume their duties very soon," he said.