Doctors call off OPD strike after meeting with Odisha health minister

Bhubaneswar: Doctors in state-run hospitals on Thursday called off their outpatient department (OPD) strike after a meeting with health minister Mukesh Mahaling, who assured them that most of their demands would be addressed.“We gave assurance to Odisha Medical Service Association (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,” said Mahaling. The agitation, led by OMSA, began on Dec 26, with doctors suspending OPD services for an hour daily till Jan 5. From Jan 5, the duration increased to two hours, inconveniencing patients across govt hospitals.To examine doctors’ demands, the state govt earlier formed an inter-departmental committee to review and analyse the issues. The health minister also held previous discussions with protesting doctors.On Jan 5, the minister agreed to two demands — increasing the stipend paid to doctors for conducting post-mortem from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. The govt also agreed to enhance postgraduate incentives for dentists. Despite these assurances, the strike continued. On Tuesday, the govt invoked the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), prohibiting strikes and any form of work stoppage by doctors and other medical staff in govt and grant-in-aid health institutions for six months. The ESMA order aimed to ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential health services.However, doctors continued the two-hour OPD strike on Wednesday and Thursday, even after ESMA was imposed. The impasse ended after the health minister met OMSA office-bearers on Thursday afternoon, following which the association announced suspension of the protest.OMSA general secretary Sanjib Kumar Pradhan said the minister held detailed discussions on the issues raised by the association. He said the minister agreed to implement two demands immediately and to set up a committee to examine the remaining demands and submit its report to the govt for further action.