OMSA stir deferred by two months
Bhubaneswar: Doctors working in government hospitals in Odisha on Thursday night deferred their plan for cease work strike, scheduled to begin Friday, by two months following talks with the state government over their demand for implementation of a defined promotion structure.
Though we had decided to go for cease work from Friday, the plan was deferred by two months following talks with the government which promised to fulfill our demand, president of Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA) Madhusudan Mishra said.
The move to postpone the stir by around 2,500 doctors came apparently in view of state government’s plan to impose Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and possible police action to tackle the situation, official sources said.
While the state government sought three months’ time to meet the doctors’ demand, the OMSA leaders said that they would wait for two months only.
The Association has demanded implementation of a defined promotion structure (DPS).
Earlier in the day, the general body meeting of the Association was held to discuss about the future course of action.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting with health minister Prasanna Acharya, the OMSA president said that the members demand Dynamic Assured Career Progression.
Unless the state government fulfills it, they will quit jobs, he added.
As the doctors remained adamant, a series of meetings were held at the state secretariat and the final round of discussions continued till late night.
The state government has made alternative arrangement by recruiting the services of Ayush doctors, contractual doctors and doctors working in different PSUs.
During the meeting with the OMSA members, health minister Prasanna Acharya urged doctors to cooperate with the state government in solving the problem.
He assured the doctors that the state government would examine their demands including implementation of DACP within three months.
The state government communicated its decision to OMSA after its members held a marathon meeting with the Acharya at the State Secretariat here.
Acharya appealed the doctors against going on a strike and en masse resignation from Friday.
Before the meeting, the minister met chief minister Naveen Patnaik and briefed him about the development.
Meanwhile, Ayurvedic doctors have urged the state government to fulfill their demands by December 28.