Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Apr 30:

Wary of the impending crisis due to the cease work called by Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Western Odisha town of Burla from tomorrow, the authorities of the premier government-run healthcare facility today cancelled the leaves of all professors to deal with the emergency situation.

VIMSAR

The professors who are on leave have been asked to report to duty immediately. The outgoing Superintendent Dr Laxmikant Das has been replaced with Prof Brajamohan Mishra. The latter will be taking charge as the Superintendent from Monday, VIMSAR Director Sonamali Bag informed media persons after the emergency meeting today.

Besides, the Superintendent of the medical college and hospital has also been shunted out.

Meanwhile, the President of JDA VIMSAR, Shankar Ramchandani alleged that infrastructural deficiency has affected the services at the institute. The doctors are using intravenous fluids to clean hands as they don’t even have access to water facility, he said.

It may be recalled that the JDA is all set to resume cease work agitation from tomorrow in protest against the non-fulfilment of their demands. Of their nine-point charter of demands, only two have been fulfilled so far.

The association, on April 1, had deferred their strike to May 1 after the VIMSAR authorities assured the striking doctors to look into their demands. They had given time till April 30 to fulfil their demands.

The demands include installation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, delegation of financial and administrative power to VIMSAR, shifting of female medicine ward to a new building, strengthening of security on the medical college premises, round-the-clock water and electricity supply at the operation theatre, a labour room, a sick newborn care unit (SNCU), an intensive care unit (ICU), a new medicine ward, a canteen, hostels, an increase in library fund, recruitment of staff for the library, filling up of vacant teaching and non-teaching posts, and improvement in the sanitary condition of the institute.