Doctors employed in government hospitals across Odisha have decided to suspend their prolonged outpatient department (OPD) strike. This decision came on Thursday following a crucial meeting with the state's Health Minister, Mukesh Mahaling, who provided concrete assurances regarding the resolution of their long-pending demands.
Strike Timeline and Escalation
The agitation, spearheaded by the Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA), commenced on December 26. Initially, doctors withdrew OPD services for one hour each day. This pattern continued until January 5, when the protest intensified. From that date, the daily strike duration was extended to two hours, significantly disrupting patient care and causing widespread inconvenience in state-run medical facilities.
In response to the escalating situation, the state government had earlier constituted an inter-departmental committee. This body was tasked with reviewing and analysing the issues raised by the protesting medical professionals. The health minister had also engaged in prior discussions with the doctors in an attempt to find a resolution.
Government Steps and the ESMA Order
On January 5, the government made some initial concessions. It agreed to increase the stipend for doctors performing post-mortem examinations from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. Additionally, it promised to enhance postgraduate incentives for dentists. However, these partial assurances failed to halt the strike, leading to a more stringent government response.
On Tuesday, the state administration invoked the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA). This order prohibited any strikes or work stoppages by doctors and medical staff in government and grant-in-aid health institutions for a period of six months. The primary objective was to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential healthcare services to the public.
Breakthrough After Ministerial Meeting
Despite the ESMA order, doctors continued their two-hour OPD withdrawal on both Wednesday and Thursday, demonstrating the depth of their discontent. The deadlock was finally broken after Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling held a detailed meeting with OMSA office-bearers on Thursday afternoon.
Following the discussions, the minister stated, "We gave assurance to OMSA to resolve the matter by taking recommendations of the inter-departmental committee formed to look after 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 govt."
OMSA General Secretary, Sanjib Kumar Pradhan, confirmed the positive outcome. He revealed that the minister held in-depth talks on the association's grievances. The government agreed to implement two demands immediately and, importantly, to form a dedicated committee to examine the remaining demands. This committee will submit its report to the government for further necessary action.
With these assurances in place, the doctors' association announced the suspension of their protest, bringing relief to thousands of patients dependent on government healthcare services in Odisha.
