With the strike called off, healthcare services across the state are expected to return to normal, bringing an end to the two-hour daily OPD shutdown.
Medical Dialogues yesterday reported that despite the Odisha government invoking the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1988, to stop doctors and other healthcare workers from going on strike, government doctors under the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) went ahead with their scheduled protest on Wednesday by boycotting OPD services for two hours.
Also Read:Odisha Govt doctors stage 2-hour OPD boycott, defying ESMA orders
The agitation, spearheaded by the Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA), had begun on December 26, with doctors suspending OPD services for one hour daily until January 5. From January 5 onwards, the protest intensified, with OPD services halted for two hours each day, causing inconvenience to patients in government hospitals across the state.
Speaking to TOI, Mahaling said, “We gave assurance to Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA) to resolve the matter by taking recommendations of the inter-departmental committee formed to look after the demands of doctors. OMSA agreed that they would not go for an OPD strike from Friday and will resolve the matter through discussions with the government.”
To address the concerns of doctors, the state government had earlier formed an inter-departmental committee to review and analyse their demands. The health minister also held multiple rounds of talks with the protesting doctors in an effort to end the impasse.
On January 5, the government agreed to two key demands, including increasing the stipend paid to doctors for conducting post-mortem examinations from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. It also agreed to enhance postgraduate incentives for dentists. However, despite these assurances, the OPD strike continued.
In a bid to ensure uninterrupted health services, the state government on Tuesday invoked the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), banning strikes and any form of work stoppage by doctors and other medical staff in government and grant-in-aid health institutions for six months. Despite the ESMA order, doctors continued their two-hour OPD strike on Wednesday and Thursday.
The impasse ended after the health minister held detailed discussions with OMSA office-bearers.
Also Read:Odisha government doctors intensify protest, OPDs shut for two hours
Speaking to Sambad English, OMSA president Dr Kishore Mishra said that the talks with the minister were positive. The government has given assurances on fulfilling the demands. Many of the demands are expected to be met by this evening. For now, the agitation has been suspended, and normalcy is expected to return from tomorrow, he added.
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