Outpatient department (OPD) services remained suspended for one hour across government hospitals in Odisha on Friday as doctors launched a statewide protest demanding urgent filling up of vacant posts and implementation of long-pending service-related reforms.
The protest, led by the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA), marked the beginning of a phased agitation, with doctors staying away from OPD services between 10 am and 11 am.
While doctors clarified that emergency services remained fully operational during the protest period, the one-hour OPD shutdown caused inconvenience to patients at several hospitals, with many seen waiting outside consultation rooms.
OMSA said the agitation was triggered by what it described as continued inaction by the state government despite repeated representations.
Doctors staged demonstrations at major government hospitals, including Capital Hospital inBhubaneswarand MKCG Medical College and Hospital inBerhampur, asserting that the protest was unavoidable given the scale of staff shortages in the public healthcare system.
A doctor added that the protest would continue daily until the demands were addressed and warned of further agitation from January 1.
"All emergency services remain fully functional, and no obstruction will be created. We are protesting because the government has not yet replied or taken any of our major demands into positive consideration. We will consider mass resignations if no response is received by January 1," said a doctor at MKCG, Berhampur.
According to OMSA, more than 50 percent of sanctioned doctor posts across Odisha are lying vacant. In districts such as Ganjam, vacancies are reportedly above 70 percent. Doctors also flagged shortages among pharmacists and laboratory personnel, noting that a significant portion of supporting staff are engaged on contractual terms.
OMSA leaders said that with around 8,000 doctors currently working against a sanctioned strength of 15,776. They argued that the shortages directly affect patient care, particularly in rural and tribal regions."Over 50% of all doctor posts in Odisha are vacant. In Ganjam alone, over 70% vacancies are present. The same is the situation with pharmacists, whereas most of our laboratory staff and assistants are contractual. We are working under tough constraints," said another protesting doctor at MKCG, Berhampur.
The protest is based on a multi-point charter of demands submitted by OMSA to the government. Key demands include the implementation of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme without preconditions, in line with central government norms already adopted by several states.
Doctors have also sought salary parity with central government doctors, including a revision of Dearness Allowance.
Other demands relate to the formulation of a transparent transfer policy, especially for doctors serving long tenures in hardship areas such as the Kalahandi–Balangir–Koraput (KBK) region.
OMSA has also called for regular recruitment drives to address staff shortages, health insurance coverage, enhanced workplace security, cadre restructuring, and timely promotions.
Sources reported that patients at several hospitals reported delays and uncertainty due to the absence of doctors in OPDs during the protest hour. OMSA acknowledged the inconvenience but maintained that the agitation was necessary to draw attention to systemic issues.
At the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the state government on the demands raised by OMSA or on the continuation of the protest in the coming days.
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