Outpatient departments (OPDs) in government hospitals across Odisha remained closed for one hour, from 10 am to 11 am, for the second consecutive day as Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) continued its indefinite protest on Saturday.
The doctors’ body is observing the protests alleging continued government inaction on a range of long-pending service-related demands. In an interaction with the media, doctors affiliated with OMSA said the protest will continue until their demands are addressed.
Sources reported that their decision has already begun affecting patients, with OPD services disrupted at major government hospitals, including SCB Medical College and Hospital and City Hospital in Cuttack, where doctors refrained from attending to patients for an hour today.
OMSA said the agitation is centred on multiple unresolved issues, including large-scale vacancies in sanctioned doctor posts, cadre restructuring, implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) at central government parity, a transparent transfer policy, and healthcare insurance for doctors.
According to the association, more than half of the sanctioned doctor posts across the state are currently vacant. “Despite repeated representations and assurances, there has been no concrete action from the government. This prolonged neglect has left us with no option but to protest,” said an OMSA office-bearer at the demonstration site.
Doctors are also demanding immediate transfer of those who have been working for over five years in the KBK (Kalahandi–Balangir–Koraput) region, citing prolonged hardship postings without a clearly defined policy framework.
