Bhubaneswar: Health services across Odisha were thrown out of gear on Wednesday after government doctors launched an indefinite strike under the banner of the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), demanding the fulfilment of their 10-point charter of demands.
The strike led to major disruptions in government hospitals across the state, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and other districts, with outpatient departments and routine services being severely affected as doctors abstained from duty and staged protests outside healthcare facilities.
According to OMSA, the decision to go ahead with the indefinite agitation was taken after the state government allegedly failed to address their long-pending demands over the past one and a half years.
The association had earlier announced that the strike would begin on July 1, observed as Doctors’ Day. Ahead of the protest, the state government held discussions with OMSA representatives in an effort to avert the agitation. However, the doctors proceeded with their strike, citing a lack of confidence in the government’s assurances.
The association also warned that if any punitive action is taken against the protesting doctors, it would intensify its agitation by staging demonstrations outside district Superintendent of Police offices and local police stations, and may also launch a jail-bharo movement.
Meanwhile, the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack has extended support to the agitation. The junior doctors have decided to wear black badges while continuing their duties and urged the government to address the demands immediately. The JDA warned that it would escalate its protest if the issues remain unresolved.
