Odisha: Outpatient Department (OPD) services at government hospitals across Odisha will be suspended for one hour daily, from 10 am to 11 am, starting today, due to the ongoing strike by doctors. This disruption will continue indefinitely as doctors have decided not to work in the OPD during this time.
This decision was announced by the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), which stated that doctors will also halt work related to the National Health Mission during this one-hour period.
Talks held, but agitation continues
The state government has stated that the talks between the association and Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling were positive. However, OMSA has decided to continue its agitation as per its earlier announcement.
A crucial meeting was held between the Health Minister and the OMSA delegation, during which the Minister stated that a committee would be formed to examine the doctors’ demands, as per the Chief Minister’s instructions. He also appealed to the association to withdraw the agitation in the larger public interest.
Doctors cite lack of written assurance
However, OMSA said that a decision to form a committee was taken on November 19, but no concrete steps have been taken so far. The association alleged that the Health Department has not given any written assurance to fulfill their demands.
The main demands include the abolition of Level-15 and an increase in incentives. OMSA claimed that these demands were rejected by the Health Department, following which its central executive committee decided to continue the agitation until a written commitment is received. This decision has been formally communicated to the Health Minister.
OMSA’s demands
The demands of OMSA members include salaries at par with the central government pay scale, unconditional abolition of Level-15 like other Class-I officers of the Odisha government, proportional cadre restructuring for all grades, increased incentives for super specialists, specialists, and diploma-holding administrators, as well as post-mortem allowance and equal benefits for OMHS and OMES cadres.
They have also demanded the implementation of an exit policy for doctors who have served for more than three years in the Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) and KBK-plus regions.
