Outpatient Department (OPD) services at government medical colleges and hospitals across Odisha were suspended for two hours on Monday, from 9 am to 11 am, as doctors stepped up their agitation over long-pending demands, including the urgent filling of vacant doctor posts across the state.

The protest is being spearheaded by the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), which had earlier observed a one-hour OPD shutdown. Citing the government’s inadequate response to their demands, the association decided to extend the suspension period to two hours. During the protest, doctors refrained from attending patients in OPDs, although emergency services continued without disruption.

OMSA has demanded immediate steps to fill vacant sanctioned posts, highlighting the excessive workload faced by existing doctors due to acute staff shortages. The association warned that if concrete action is not taken by January 14, OPD services may be suspended for two hours each during both morning and afternoon sessions in the coming days.

A doctor participating in the protest said that the leadership of OMSA had previously apprised the government of their concerns, but the lack of meaningful action left doctors with no option but to intensify the agitation.

In response, the state government has constituted an inter-departmental committee to examine the demands raised by the doctors. The committee is expected to hold discussions with stakeholders and submit its recommendations to the government in due course.

Doctors clarified that emergency services were kept operational to ensure that critical patients were not affected. A doctor at Cuttack’s City Hospital said patients were informed in advance and assured that consultations would resume after 11 am, adding that many patients had expressed support, understanding the strain caused by staff shortages.

Patients waiting at hospitals confirmed they were aware of the protest and were assured that OPD services would resume once the protest period concluded.