SHILLONG, June 20: The state government on Tuesday made it clear that it neither has the wherewithal nor the mandate to run the 108 emergency ambulance services but will do what it takes to protect the rights and privileges of the employees.
“The employees met me again today with a plea to request the government to take over the 108 services but it would not conform to norms,” Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said after the meeting.
Revealing that the discussions revolved around the protection of the staff, she said, “I have been informed by them that there are about 250 workers engaged in the 108 services and now the NHM is temporarily running the services.”
She said that the government is in the process of floating an expression of interest to engage firms to run the services while protecting the interests of the employees.
On reports of mismanagement of the 108 services, she said, “NHM is not the competent authority to run the 108 services. It does not have the wherewithal and hence we have to find a way out to quickly complete the tender process and have the services running in full action.”
