Bhubaneswar: In a fresh effort to break the deadlock, the State government on Friday invited the Odisha Medical Service Association (OMSA) for talks to address the ongoing doctors’ strike and resolve issues affecting healthcare services in the state.
The Health & Family Welfare Department issued a communication in this regard, stating that a meeting has been scheduled between Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling and the executive members of OMSA on July 4 at 11.30 am. The meeting will be held in the Minister’s office chamber in Bhubaneswar.
According to the official letter, OMSA President Dr. Kishore Chandra Mishra and State General Secretary Dr. Sanjib Kumar Pradhan have been invited for the discussion. Both have been requested to attend the meeting and the government stressed the need to restore uninterrupted healthcare services in view of the ongoing disruption caused by the strike.
The letter, issued by the Additional Secretary to the Government, reflects the State government’s intent to engage in dialogue with the protesting doctors’ association to address their demands and find an amicable resolution.
The development comes amid continued tensions between OMSA members and the State administration over various service-related issues, which have impacted healthcare delivery in several parts of the State for the third day on Friday.
Earlier, the government had issued stern warnings including threats of salary suspension and termination. Despite the warnings, doctors are continuing their protest over a 10-point charter of long-pending demands.
The strike, which began on July 1 coinciding with National Doctors’ Day, has led to the shutdown of outpatient departments (OPDs) and routine services in government hospitals from major cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to remote rural areas. Peripheral health facilities at block and district levels have been particularly hard hit, forcing a surge of referrals to apex institutions such as SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department has issued directives invoking the Odisha Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (OESMA), 1988 — via a Home Department notification — which classifies health services as essential and prohibits strikes by doctors and paramedics. The department has labeled the boycott as “gross misconduct,” citing violations of the Orissa Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959.
OMSA had earlier organised symbolic protests, including a two-hour OPD boycott in January 2026, but doctors claim the government failed to honour assurances on their demands.
Key Demands:
- Implementation of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme as per central pay structures.
- Pay parity with central counterparts.
- Proportionate cadre restructuring.
- Incremental incentives for specialists and administrators.
- Enhanced workplace safety and security measures.
- Regularisation of ad-hoc doctors.
- Comprehensive health insurance.
- Other service-related issues like transfer policies and infrastructure improvements.
The standoff has led to long queues and overcrowded waiting areas in the hospitals. Outstation patients from distant districts report being stranded for days. Emergency services are reportedly continuing in some places, but routine care, OPDs, and peripheral facilities remain heavily impacted, putting vulnerable populations at risk.
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