Jharkhand Ambulance Services Halted as Drivers and Technicians Begin 40-Hour Strike

Ranchi, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : Emergency ambulance services in Jharkhand have come to a standstill as drivers and emergency medical technicians initiate a 40-hour strike. The action began on Thursday evening at 8 PM and will continue until Saturday morning at 8 AM.

The workers are protesting against delayed salary payments, reinstatement of dismissed employees, and various other demands. On Friday, they staged a demonstration outside the National Health Mission (NHM) office located in Namkum, Ranchi.

According to the Jharkhand Ambulance Employees Union, employees have not received their wages since July 2026. This delay has caused significant financial strain for many workers. The union is also advocating for the reinstatement of terminated staff, adherence to the minimum wage set by the labor department, and access to statutory benefits like EPF and ESI. Additionally, they are demanding overtime pay and job security.

The union has proposed that the management of the 108 ambulance service be transferred from private agencies to the civil surgeon at the district level. They also request that salary payments be handled directly by the National Health Mission. Furthermore, the union is pushing for job security measures to ensure that employees are not at risk of losing their jobs if the service provider changes.

A meeting chaired by Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari took place on September 16 to address these issues. However, the union claims that despite being promised a resolution within 15 to 20 days, no significant action has been taken. In protest, workers have previously worn black badges, held candlelight marches, and engaged in other demonstrations across district headquarters.

The union has warned that if their demands are not met, they will initiate an indefinite statewide strike starting October 21.