Bhubaneswar, 7/1 : Government doctors across Odisha are continuing their two-hour outpatient department (OPD) boycott daily, defiantly flouting the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) invoked by the state government. The ongoing protest, now in its second week, stems from a deep-seated frustration over a slew of long-pending and unfulfilled demands, leading to a palpable healthcare crisis in the state.
The partial strike, observed daily from 9 AM to 11 AM, has significantly hampered patient care in district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, medical college and hospitals, and primary health centers across Odisha. Thousands of patients, particularly those from rural and economically weaker sections who rely heavily on public healthcare facilities, are facing extended waiting times, delayed consultations, and mounting inconvenience. While emergency services have largely remained operational to mitigate severe impact, the disruption to routine medical check-ups, follow-ups, and non-critical consultations is causing widespread concern.
The state government, recognizing the critical nature of medical services, had invoked ESMA last week, effectively making any strike or boycott illegal and potentially subjecting participating doctors to severe penalties, including arrest, dismissal from service, or forfeiture of salary. However, the medical fraternity, united under various associations including the Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) and the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA), appears undeterred by the government’s stern warning, emphasizing that their legitimate grievances outweigh the threat of punitive action. This defiance marks a significant escalation in the long-standing dispute between the state’s healthcare providers and the administration.
At the core of the doctors’ agitation are several key demands that they claim have been ignored for years. These include a long-pending restructuring of their cadre to ensure better career progression and promotional avenues, revision of pay scales to bring them on par with their counterparts in other states, timely promotions for eligible doctors, improved working conditions, and enhanced security measures, particularly for those posted in remote and vulnerable areas. Additionally, demands for better infrastructure in public hospitals and the regularisation of contractual doctors are also prominent.
“We have exhausted all avenues of negotiation and dialogue with the government over the past several years,” stated a representative of OMSA, who wished to remain anonymous due to the ESMA threat. “Our pleas for better facilities, fair wages, and a clear career path have consistently fallen on deaf ears. This two-hour boycott is a desperate, last-resort measure to compel the government to acknowledge and address our legitimate concerns, which directly impact the quality of healthcare we can provide.”
While the state health department has appealed to the doctors to return to duty immediately and has reiterated warnings of stern action under ESMA, concrete steps towards resolving the core issues remain elusive. Health Secretary [Fictional Name, e.g., Dr. P. K. Mohapatra] stated, “We urge doctors to prioritize patient welfare and come to the negotiating table without holding the public hostage. The government is committed to dialogue, but disruption of essential services is unacceptable and will be dealt with firmly.” However, despite these statements, no official meeting between the striking doctors’ representatives and high-ranking government officials has been scheduled since the ESMA invocation, exacerbating the standoff.
The most immediate and severe impact of the protest is felt by the common citizens. “I’ve travelled over 50 kilometers from my village for my mother’s diabetes check-up, and now they say doctors are only seeing emergencies,” lamented Sanjit Behera, a daily wager waiting anxiously at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. “What about people like us who depend entirely on government hospitals and cannot afford private treatment? This situation is very difficult for us.” His sentiment echoes the plight of thousands across the state, highlighting the vulnerability of the population caught in the crossfire.
Medical associations have warned of a complete shutdown of all medical services, including emergency care, if the government continues its rigid stance and fails to initiate meaningful dialogue to address their demands. Such an escalation would plunge the state’s already stretched healthcare system into an unprecedented crisis, with potentially dire consequences for public health. This isn’t the first time government doctors in Odisha have resorted to agitation; similar protests have erupted periodically over the past decade, often quelled with promises that have, according to the doctors, largely remained unfulfilled. The current impasse reflects a growing chasm of mistrust and frustration between the medical fraternity and the state administration, threatening the fundamental right to healthcare for millions.
