New docs join duty at VIMSAR as PG students’ stir enters 4th day

Burla: Even as the cease-work stir by PG students of Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) entered the fourth day on Wednesday, 116 new junior doctors joined duty in the premier referral hospital in western Odisha to ensure no disruption in healthcare services.
The state government had issued a notification in this regard the previous evening.
The PG students are on strike since Sunday demanding removal of VIMSAR director Aswini Kumar Pujahari.
On Tuesday, Health Minister Pratap Jena asked them to call off their strike first before having discussions with him.
“Our demands have remained unchanged. We will not withdraw the stir till our demands are met,” a student said.
Extending support to the agitation, Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) president Nirakar Bhatt urged the Health Minister to resolve the issue after meeting the students.
On the other hand, Sambalpur Citizen Forum staged a dharna at Nelson Mandela square in the town and submitted a memorandum to SP Sanjeev Arora demanding strict action against erring students for hampering health service.
People of Attabria town in Bargarh district too observed a six-hour bandh in support of Pujahari.