Newmai News Network
Shillong | July 24
Meghalaya Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today said the government will take a decision on the 108 emergency services within three months' time.
“We hope that at the end of the next three months, we will be able to make some quick decisions and likely even the workers' union will be able to understand the situations that they are in,” Lyngdoh told reporters after a meeting with the delegation of the 108 workers' union.
She said the union had also submitted a list of suggestions and requests in the form of a memorandum to protect their services.
“And I have promised that I will send it across to the National Health Mission (NHM) who is currently preparing the tender documents. And the requests for proposals is something that's just been set. The ball is going to start rolling,” Lyngdoh added.
According to her, there are workers who have worked for more than 15 years.
“They are a union. We must take heed of what they are saying. What can be done I have told them will get done but what cannot be done also we will discuss and negotiate further with any company that wins the RFP (request for proposal) and we will see how we go forward,” she added.
Stating that the government is not a competent authority to run the 108 services, Lyngdoh said, “To begin with, we don't even have a mechanical wing in the Department of Health Services in the state of Meghalaya.”
“Now, as is done in several other states, the government distances itself from engaging in this kind of a business of serving someone through the 108 ambulances system,” she said while adding, “We will work with all these bidders and we will definitely try to protect the services of these individuals.”
She further maintained that the government has no intention to take over the emergency services.
“We are not going to change the system. We cannot make it a government institution. We will continue with the practice that has been there in the state of Meghalaya for so many years with the hope that once we have a good company with good offers it will also include protection of workers rights,” the minister stated.
When asked, the minister said, “No, we've not even made it public. We've not yet called for the RFPs, we are just in the process of preparing these bids.”
On the challenges faced by the NHM in running the emergency services, Lyngdoh said, “We will have a lot of shortfalls and shortcomings because we the NHM is not the authorised agency that should be running these kinds of services. They don't have the expertise. They have to depend largely on hands that have been working in the system for this long.”
