Bhubaneswar: Outpatient Department (OPD) services at government hospitals across Odisha will remain suspended for one hour every day from 10 am to 11 am starting today due to the ongoing strike by the doctors. The disruption will continue for an indefinite period as doctors have decided not to attend the OPD during this time.

The decision was announced by the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), which said doctors would also stop work carried out under the National health Mission during the one-hour window.

Talks held, but agitation to continue

The state government has said discussions between the association and Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling were positive. However, OMSA has decided to continue the agitation as per its earlier announcement.

A key meeting was held between the health minister and the OMSA delegation, during which the minister said a committee would be formed on the Chief Minister’s directions to examine the doctors’ demands. He also appealed to the association to withdraw the agitation in the larger public interest.

Doctors cite lack of written assurance

OMSA, however, said that although a decision to form a committee was taken on November 19, no concrete step had been taken till now. The association alleged that the Health Department has not given any written assurance to meet its demands.

Among the key demands are the abolition of Level-15 and an increase in incentives. OMSA claimed these demands were rejected by the Health Department, prompting its central executive committee to decide to continue the agitation until a written commitment is received. The decision has been formally conveyed to the health minister.

Demands of OMSA

The demands of OMSA members include remuneration at par with the central government pay scale, with abolition of level-15 as followed for other class-I officers of the Odisha government, without any precondition, proportionate cadre restructuring of all grades, incremental incentives for super specialists, specialists, diploma-holding administrators, along with postmortem allowance and equal benefits to OMHS and OMES cadres.

They have also demanded the implementation of an exit policy for doctors who have worked for over three years in Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) and KBK-plus regions.