Government appeals for immediate resumption of duties and offers talks, while striking doctors continue agitation over career progression, incentives, cadre reforms and safety measures.
Bhubaneswar: With no breakthrough in sight, the indefinite strike by Odisha government doctors entered its third day on Friday, as the state government renewed its appeal to the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) to end the agitation and return to work, assuring fresh talks on their pending demands while stepping up measures to keep public health services running.
The strike has affected healthcare services at several government hospitals, prompting the government to step up measures to ensure uninterrupted patient care.
In a statement issued late Thursday, the Health and Family Welfare Department urged the agitating doctors to withdraw the ceasework in the larger interest of patients and join duty without delay. The government said uninterrupted healthcare services remain its top priority and appealed to doctors to participate in a constructive dialogue after normal services are restored.
The department said Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling, the Commissioner-cum-Secretary and the Director of Health Services had held extensive discussions with OMSA representatives before the agitation began. It added that several rounds of talks had already taken place in an effort to resolve the issues.
According to the government, many of the doctors’ longstanding demands have already been addressed, including cadre restructuring, implementation of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme, special incentives, place-based incentives and measures to support higher education for doctors.
Invoking the principle of “Seva Hi Param Dharma” (Service is the highest duty), the government urged doctors to return to patient care, assuring them that all legitimate demands would be discussed after they resume work. It also warned that if essential healthcare services continue to be disrupted, it would be compelled to take necessary action.
The appeal comes amid OMSA’s indefinite statewide agitation launched on July 1 over its 10-point charter of demands. The association is seeking implementation of the DACP scheme in line with the Central pay structure from the date of eligibility, proportionate cadre restructuring, enhanced incentives for specialists and super-specialists, revised post-mortem allowances, a three-year exit policy for doctors serving in KBK and Tribal Sub-Plan areas, stronger security measures, regularisation of ad hoc doctors, comprehensive health insurance for healthcare personnel and construction of Capital Hospital-II in Bhubaneswar.
The strike has impacted healthcare services in several districts. Reports from across the state indicate disruptions in outpatient services and delays in routine medical procedures. In one instance, the post-mortem examination of an 18-year-old youth who died in a landslide was delayed before the body was shifted to another hospital for autopsy.
Meanwhile, the government has adopted a tougher stance against the agitation. It has directed authorities to withhold the salaries of Odisha Medical and Health Services (OMHS) cadre doctors participating in the ceasework until further orders. Contractual doctors absent from duty have also been warned of termination after due process. The government has maintained that the ongoing strike violates the Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, which remains in force, and may amount to misconduct under the Orissa Government Servants’ Conduct Rules.
With neither side indicating any immediate breakthrough, uncertainty continues over when normal health services across Odisha’s government hospitals will be fully restored.
