TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Members of the 108 emergency services Monday gheraoed the Director of Health Services (DHS) demanding the regularization of the management running the ambulance service, GVK EMRI.
Workers claimed that GVK emergency services, which works on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, is the nodal agency managing the services in the State are in fact partners, and not contractors.
GVK EMRI representatives told Herald that their ambulances were working, manned by trained paramedics and operations were going on smoothly.
“Twenty six out of the 30 emergency ambulances are operational as of now and the remaining are likely to be operational after the repair works which are presently going on. Two neonatal ambulances and four dropback ambulances are also road worthy,” EMRI representatives stated, disputing claims about the roadworthiness of the ambulances raised by the striking staff.
The service has received 15,10,394 calls till last month, and handled 2,70,505 emergencies and saved 18,546 lives till December last year claimed the representatives. They also maintain their EMT paramedics received 40 days intense training in emergency handling by Stanford trained professionals.
Earlier last week, 120 employees of the emergency service went on an indefinite strike protesting poor working conditions, meager salaries and have alleged the illegal functioning of the company.
Eleven employees were served termination
letters while the rest continue on an indefinite strike at
Azad Maidan.
