Bhubaneswar: The Director of Nursing has directed the chief of all the state-run healthcare facilities to take action against the nursing officers who have announced to cease work from tomorrow as Odisha Emergency Services (Maintenance) Act 1988 is still in force. Despite government warnings, the Odisha Nursing Employees Association (ONEA) has decided to cease work from tomorrow.
The letter written by Director of Nursing Dr Artabandhu Nayak said “As per the power conferred by Section 3 and Section 2 of the ESMA in the interest of Public, the state government prohibit strikes in form of cessation of work by nurses paramedics, technicians and other class III and class IV employees and the order remain in force for a period of 6 months with effect from the date of issue of the order (August 7, 2024)”.
The Odisha Nursing Employees Association had written to the Chief Minister on September 18 mentioning about an indefinite cease-work across the state in government hospitals from September 27.
On the other hand, nurses have decided to stick to their decision on agitation. They will cease work from tomorrow as per earlier decision, said Sarojini Jena, secretary of the Odisha Nursing Employees Association (ONEA).
“We will cease work in all departments excluding ICU, Emergency OT, Labour room. By imposing ESMA, the government wants to harm the patients indirectly. We don’t want healthcare to get affected. But, government forced us to resort to ceasework agitation. The government should not threaten us by ESMA,” added Jena.
The government had assured us to look into our demands. So, we had put our stir on hold for a month. Till now, our demands have remained unheeded, she added.
