Murali wants the ESMA to stop the emergency workers’ strike

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has written to Home Secretary Ramesh Chennithal that he is invoking provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to prevent strikes that “disrupt” the functioning of the state’s 108 emergency services.

The health ministry’s move comes as the paramedics union announced a 24-hour strike from September 17.

The government decided to take strict measures as every now and then protests by various organizations put patients in distress, a statement quoted Mr. Muraleedharan as saying on Saturday.

In the letter, Mr Muraleedharan sought steps to prevent strikes and ensure smooth running of emergency services.

The Kerala State Ambulance Service Employees Union 108 has announced a strike from 8:00 AM on September 17 to 8:00 AM on September 18 over the 2025-26 bonus dispute.

The 24/7 emergency service at 108 is an important part of the state’s emergency health care system. It plays a key role in transporting people who have been involved in accidents, people with serious illnesses and people in emergency birth situations to the hospital. With the disruption of the ambulance service due to the strike, patients will suffer and any delay in treatment can be life-threatening. This was why the health department was handling the matter as more than a labor dispute, the statement said.

In the meantime, EMRI-GHS has ordered emergency services to stop refusing or boycotting any trips, including those with transfers between facilities. Even after formal appeals and cover letters, some employees refused the trips. This severely affected the state’s critical emergency transportation network. Administrative complaints or labor disputes should not be used to paralyze emergency health care, EMRI-GHS said in a memo to employees.

Published – 12 Sep 2026 22:07 IST