The strike by 108 ambulance field workers, demanding clearance of their pending allowances, has left the health services in the district in a pathetic condition.
Many expecting mothers coming to the Mela Hospital for regular check- ups were forced to use alternative means to reach the hospital, braving the biting cold.
The strike continued for the second day on Thursday, leaving the patients and their near ones in the lurch.
The district saw many women patients and their kin trying frantically to contact the ambulances on the toll-free number which were non-functioning on the day.
“We kept on dialling on the number desperately, but to no avail. We then explored other means which were difficult too to have,” said husband of a woman who started to have labour pain on the day.
The district coordinator of 108 ambulance S Bhandari said while speaking to The Pioneer that there are nine ambulances left in the district which provide services.
In Haridwar area, just four vehicles are available, he said.
“The service has been operation now just in Jwalapur and CCR area,” he said.
Ambulances in Patanjali and SIIDCUL area were not operational, he further said. Talks were on and things would be resolved soon, said Bhandari, adding that the field workers were irked over the decision to slash salary on account of the mass leave stir they had undertaken in August last.
